Second Son: The Aftermath
by SpiteSprite
Summary: Follows the bad karma ending of second son. With no where left to go after levelling his entire village, Delsin travels to Cardun cay to acquire more powers ... It is there he meets with an odd conduit who seems vaguely familiar ... Told from the POV of OC. Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

**Infamous Second Son: The Aftermath**

The sensation of the hard mattress below me intruded into my awareness and I lifted my head, eyes snapped open and I forced them to adapt to the harsh strip lighting flickering behind thick glass above. I slowly sat up and peered around the room whilst I willed my lethargy away. My head pounded and my body ached.

Where the hell am I?

The room was so small and only contained myself and the bed I was sitting on. To the left an opaque glass wall, the same on the right and behind – opaque along the bottom half but it was too dark outside to make anything out. I got to my feet to inspect the door – thick steel and bolted shut. Was this a cell? Was I being detained? What for – where the hell am I?

Panic set in whilst I desperately tried to recall anything that would provide me any answers but nothing – not only could I not remember how I'd ended up here, I couldn't remember my name – I couldn't even remember what I looked like.

Whilst my mind raced and my eyes involuntarily shot around the room I spotted something else. I took several deep breaths to calm myself down and approached the two small holes in the wall. I could see they connected to some sort of machine on the outside of the cell – it looked like I should have slotted my hands in – so I did. I carefully pushed each hand through – there was a small blinking light on the machine but it didn't respond.

I didn't have time to think about my next move, there was what sounded to be a large explosion and my cell shook violently. I removed my hands as if they had been scolded and threw myself back onto the bed, clinging to it as if it would offer some sort of safety.

Everything went quiet again and I got to my feet. Suddenly a dozen people rushed by my cell, they paid me no mind – they were shouting and almost falling over each other in their bid to go wherever the hell they were in a hurry to get to. They all wore an orange jumpsuit, the same one that I was wearing – were they prisoners? Was I a prisoner?

There was more commotion and I wasn't going to let the opportunity pass me by. Several more people were approaching fast, I hammered the window of my cell. A few of them stopped in horror as if they hadn't expected me to be there. They all hesitated and then some ran off, two remained.

"Come on!" one yelled to the other as he too continued on.

"Don't leave me in here!" I wasn't even sure that it was me who yelled at first, my throat was so sore I wasn't even sure if the stranger heard it but it worked and he took sympathy on me.

"Stand back!" the prisoner extended his arm and I stood back.

I can't explain what happened next, the big steel reinforced door melted like metallic molten lava it was almost instantaneous. I couldn't move.

"How the hell did you do that?" I stammered and remained stuck to the spot.

"Don't just stand there!" he yelled "we gotta get out now!"

I couldn't, I froze. I eyed his frustration and his sympathy had diminished, with no further warning he bolted. After several moments I came to my senses, I took several quick sharp breaths and stepped over the puddle of metal that used to be the door. With very little option I began to sprint off in the direction everyone else had taken.

I ran and ran and didn't stop and still hadn't caught up, was I still running in the right direction? I had no idea what this place was but it was in ruins. Electric wires pulled from the walls and ceilings, the walls and carpets smouldered, there was paper everywhere and then blood. A lot of blood. Bodies – people in full armour strewn everywhere – burned, cut – I couldn't stop, all of my instincts were pressing me to continue.

I was panting exhausted, then I saw it – a line, a queue. Following all of the madness I'd just witnessed and now everyone was waiting patiently in a queue – What the hell was this?

I approached.

"What's going on?" I asked.

The girl in front looked me up and down spitefully, her arms were crossed and her fingers tapping – she seemed extremely agitated, she didn't answer. I asked again, louder this time in the hope that someone would answer me.

The man from earlier, who had somehow vaporised my door – I couldn't help but feel a little intimidated by his presence, "we're getting out!" he replied with an excited smile "Delsin Rowe has come for us!"

I didn't know the significance of either statements but I could sense emotions were running high and I didn't know these people, they wouldn't have appreciated all of the questions I needed answering. I leant out from the back of the queue as it slowly moved. There must have been about forty of us. Not many talking and everyone eagerly awaiting their chance to move up a spot.

"Screw this!" the impatient girl screamed out from in front of me "I'm not standing around just to be thrown back in here again!". Her whole body dissolved and she became a gust of wind that threw the whole queue into disarray.

"Carla!" Metal man screamed after her as he gave chase.

The queue disintegrated and everyone burst through the doors and congregated in a heaped mess outside.

"The hell are you doing?" The voice came from the man they were all here eagerly queuing up for – Delsin Rowe. He lifted his hand into the air and caught the impatient girl – mid gust and metal man in a neon bubble. Everyone froze in shock, "you've been stuck rotting in here for who knows how long and you couldn't wait a few extra minutes?" Delsin squeezed his palm shut and the neon bubble obliterated the two in an instant – their neon ashes scattered away in the wind.

Everyone fell silent, but immediately formed a queue again without instruction. I remained at the back – I couldn't believe what I just saw – all of my senses were telling me to run but if I did that I would have just met the same fate.

I watched one by one as each prisoner approached, stated their name and something else – so far I'd heard 'fire, water, , shadow'… the list continued – were these abilities? Did all these people possess super powers? After what I'd witnessed the notion wasn't too crazy.

I was sixth in the queue and could hear the short conversations between Delsin and the others now. A man stepped forward.

"Brandon Mathers," he said nervously.

"So, what can you do Brandon Mathers?" Delsin asked.

"Electricity," it almost sounded as though it was a question, he appeared so nervous.

"Seriously?" Delsin grinned "oh you do not know how long I've wanted to go Cole McGrath on the DUPs!"

Another name were the relevance was lost on me. He grabbed the man's hand and clenched it in what looked like an innocent handshake. I watched intently as both appeared to become uncomfortable and contact was broken.

Delsin smiled "Enjoy your powers."

Brandon Mathers beamed from ear to ear, "thank you!" he wasted no more time – not even looking back at the queue as he sprinted away.

The same thing occurred with everyone else, it was my turn next and it dawned on me – I couldn't even tell him my name, let alone my ability – wait, did I even have an ability? I don't know what he was doing with the whole handshake thing but perhaps he could tell me what I wanted to know?

It was my turn and I hesitated, he motioned for me to step forward and after a brief moment, I did – didn't want to end up like the two from earlier who everyone else had seemed to blissfully forget about.

"Name?" he said as I stood directly in front of him.

Our eyes locked and I said nothing. His eyes squinted and he cocked his head, I don't know if it was paranoia but it almost suggested that he may have recognised me.

"Well, whatever man," he thrust his hand forward to encourage a handshake.

What option did I have – I slowly extended my arm and he clenched onto my fingers tight. He closed his eyes in apparent concentration – I didn't know what he was doing but I could see he was struggling. I closed my eyes too – It was brief and I can't explain what I was seeing but it was almost like a photo album full of faces I felt I should know and then the pages stopped flicking and there was one face that was more prominent than the rest and all I could think of was the name 'Reggie'. After several moments he threw my hand away and stumbled slightly on the spot.

"Wait, do I know you?" he panted, and looked me square in the eyes, "I couldn't see you– what's your power? What can you do?"

"I don't know!" I replied panicked, "I don't know!"

"The hell is that supposed to mean?" Delsin slowly composed himself and gave a groan. He closed his eyes again but I could see his pupils moving about beneath them as if he was searching. He opened his eyes and looked me up and down suspiciously and then sighed, "seems like Curdun Cay really did a number on you."

I didn't answer, I had no answers.

"So errr I guess you're the last one?" he said.

"I think so," I replied.

"Awesome," Delsin adjusted his beanie hat "I think I've had my fill, I'm beat." He didn't give me a second thought as he turned to leave.

"Wait, where do I go? What do I do now?" I asked, it was desperate and needy but that's exactly how I felt right now.

"Wherever and whatever," Delsin grinned "you have your freedom, dude, and this is our city now."

He paid me no more attention, whilst he looked about, as if searching - then he smiled triumphantly, he must have found whatever it was. I watched as he approached a cracked TV screen, that was barely clinging onto the wall, he pressed his palm against it and with no warning he sprouted holographic looking wings and took off into the sky, "Adiós," he yelled before he sped away at tremendous speed.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

I must have walked about aimlessly for at least an hour. The twilight city was awash with the sounds of sirens, gunshots, explosions and screams – they were getting quieter as I was moving further away. I was so exhausted I just wanted to sleep.

"Bio-terrorist!" a woman screeched from behind.

I turned and held my hands up as if to surrender to show her I meant no harm but she had already fled. These clothes were doing me no favours – bright orange prison attire screamed 'bio-terrorist' it was then that I spotted a washing line and came to the conclusion that petty theft was better than scaring the shit out of anyone I came across. I quickly got changed into the jeans, t-shirt and hoody, that were a little too big for me, in a nearby alleyway and discarded the orange jumpsuit into a skip. It was then that I spotted a small name printed on the right side of the chest of the prison suit– I felt stupid for having not noticed it earlier. It read 'A. Miles' – it meant nothing to me but there was a good chance that it was my name.

I walked on and as I did I noticed that each camera I passed followed my direction, I lifted my hood over my head, at first I thought I was being paranoid but by camera number four I knew it wasn't coincidence – someone was watching me. Surely I was the least interesting 'bio-terrorist' to be watching right now? That's even if I was one of them – I still had no idea what my power was. I approached camera number five and halted, as did the camera.

"Why the hell are you watching me?" I yelled, I quickly scanned the pavement with my eyes, knelt down and picked up the nearest rock and bulls eye –right in the lens. It cracked and I felt somewhat satisfied - momentarily anyway. I knelt down again and remained there with the camera fixed on me – I didn't care any more I just wanted to sleep.

After several minutes of feeling sorry for myself, I spotted a hotel opposite. I couldn't just stay for free but where else could I go? I'd do the dishes if I had to - given the circumstances and the current Armageddon I hoped that they would take pity on me. I pulled myself up and strolled over, I could hear the camera rotating behind me, in what was probably my direction.

"Hello?" The lobby was cluttered with paper and potted plants were strewn about, mud everywhere. No one to be seen. "Hello?" I called louder this time, but it was no use there was no one here – that wasn't necessarily a bad thing, I approached the lobby desk and leapt over it helping myself to a key card – room 1008 was probably as good as any. I looked around one more time and left for my newly acquired room.

The elevator doors closed and I waited for my floor, I caught a glimpse of the elevator camera – surely my stalker couldn't see me now? Just in case - I gave the camera the finger and exited when the doors opened.

Room 1008 – I scanned the card and the door opened, I was so grateful. The room was nothing special but when I collapsed onto the bed it felt like the greatest comfort I'd had in a long time – just how long had I been sleeping on that hard mattress in that prison – Cardun Cay I think Delsin Rowe called it – I didn't dwell on my thoughts, my head hit the pillow and I was sound asleep.

The next thing I knew - there was a huge crash and the room quaked violently – what now?! I resisted waking but then another crash and a small explosion – I think it came from directly below. My eyes snapped open and I rushed to my feet. The room was filled with smoke and I began to cough uncontrollably, I threw the door open to be forced back by plumes of smoke - I wasn't going that way! I slammed the door shut and scanned the room in a panic – arm covering my nose and mouth - the only way out was the windows, it was only when I approached them that I remembered I was on the 10th floor. I hesitated for only a moment and pulled myself through – standing on the narrow ledge outside. I looked down – big mistake! There was a car that was ablaze embedded into the building a few floors below.

"Oh my god!" screamed a woman watching my ordeal from across the street and I looked down again – Goddamit, there was trails of neon light everywhere – what the hell?!

There was no way for me to get down, what was I gonna do?! I clung onto the glass behind me for dear life but the only way to go was down – I wasn't about to jump to my death! A small crowd had gathered now – I could see some of them shamelessly recording me on their phones, others shouting and screaming at me, I didn't listen - I couldn't listen, my heartbeat thudded in my ears. The building shook, it was coming down, it shook again I clasped the window frame desperately – it shook one more time and it was all over.

My spine made contact with the solid tarmac road below and I thought it might be the last sound I'd ever hear but then I opened my eyes. I was winded, a little dazed but alive … and relatively OK. I sat up. My audience seemed just as shocked as I was as I got to my feet.

"He must be one of them!" a woman wailed in horror.

They scampered off in different directions before I had the chance to explain myself but what could I have said? That fall should have killed me, at the very least shattered every bone in my body and here I was – not a scratch on me. It was too early to celebrate my escape from death, however, a large winged – I wanted to say 'angel', swooped directly in front of me – an angel?! Just when this couldn't have gotten any crazier – maybe I had died?

"Thou hast been summoned," the angel grabbed me and before I knew it I was up high again, clinging on with everything I had.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

The journey probably wasn't as long as my fear of being dangled carelessly over a flaming city had led me to believe. The angel circled and gently dropped me down beside an entrance, I watched as the angel faded and caught a glimpse of the devastation beyond that. Before I could wonder why the angel had carried me all this way to apparently abandon me – the door below began to glow as light seeped between the cracks. I bent down and griped the handle and pulled the door outwards, there was no one there and the pixels of light faded away - now there was just an ominous looking staircase – guess it was my only lead.

"Hello?" I called out as I wandered around the basement carefully navigating through the many wires on the floor whilst I inspected the room. There were screens mounted on almost every wall and as I neared one, the screen went black and then a message began to appear letter by letter.

[I've been watching you.]

Well, that's not creepy at all - I looked about, not sure how I could reply, then I spotted a keyboard and was ready to type.

[Who are you?]

[He who dwells.]

 _Helpful_ – I sighed.

[What do you want from me?]

There was a delay in his response – so I typed it again.

[What do you want?]

[I know that you're a conduit, I'm one too …]

Message deleted and another delay, I typed again.

[Hello?]

A phone rang - shit! I almost jumped out of my skin, it was on the same desk as the monitor.

"Hello," I answered it.

"What's your name?" replied the stranger.

I stalled before I remembered, "Miles."

There was a pause, I concentrated my hearing on the background noise - I could hear frantic typing on a keyboard.

"I can't find anything about you on any of the systems," the stranger replied "you are a conduit aren't you?"

I didn't know, I didn't answer.

"My name's Eugene, look … you can trust me," he paused "I think we can help each other, but first I need to know more about you so I know I can trust you."

I didn't know I could trust him, but he seemed to be the only person offering any answers so I was honest with him, "I don't know how you think I can help," I said "I woke up in that prison and I don't remember anything – how I got there, who I am – it's all a blank."

"Heh, you're lucky – I remember everything about Cardun Cay."

I sighed, I didn't feel lucky.

"I'm sorry," Eugene said "but I might be able to help you, take this phone. I've installed an app – it will allow you to track radio signals."

"What do you want me to do?"

"Just follow the signals – there's one close by, call me again once you get there."

Before I had any chance to answer the phone went dead. I inspected it more closely – it was pretty empty of all content so the tracking app was not that difficult to find. It booted up but nothing but a message – [no signal, move higher]

Once outside, I accessed the app again – [no signal, move higher] – leaving the basement wasn't enough, just how high up did I have to be? I looked around and spotted a garage roof across the street – the only option. I sprinted over, mindful of the debris covering the broken road and clumsily clambered up onto the roof.

[no signal, move higher]

You have got to be kidding me! Okay, there was another roof to my left that was reachable. I slipped and recovered several times but finally I was up.

[no signal, move higher]

Screw this! Then my phone rang.

"Yeah," I answered.

"Err Miles," it was Eugene "you look like you're struggling… maybe a little."

"Yeah just a little," I sighed "wait, you can see me?" the cameras! Of course "Never mind – just how high up do I need to be?"

"I can send you an angel?"

I hesitated, remembering being launched across the sky a little time earlier "Is that really necessary?"

"I mean if you want?"

"Okay," I agreed reluctantly "Okay, give me an angel."

An angel appeared above and swooped down, "I am he who dwells and I am at your command" it boomed.

"Miles, put your phone on loud speak – you might need to direct me," I did so and without warning the angel clasped me around the waist and launched me up into the air.

We swung about it the sky and I became very queasy, very quickly.

"Steady it, Eugene!" I yelled.

"I am he who dwells!" The angel yelled.

"Eugene!"

"Sorry!" he replied over the phone "Can you see where we need to go?"

"Yeah!" finally the app worked "Left!" I instructed, we went right, "Left!" I repeated.

"Sorry!"

"Okay straight from here," I instructed, at least the ride was a little smoother –don't look down! Don't look down! "400 metres … 350 metres … 200 … 50 … That rooftop, drop me there!" I pointed.

The angel gave me a gentle landing and hovered above watching whilst I tried to find whatever it was I was looking for by pointing my phone around in different directions. Wow - I was a long way up.

"What am I looking for here, Eugene?" I asked.

"Like an audio log, it'll be a device with a red blinking –"

"found it!" I lifted it up in my hands.

"Okay," Eugene replied "move the phone close so I can hear and press play."

[I wasn't going to leave any more messages for you, after watching what you were doing –it felt like you lost sight, I was finding it hard to justify your actions- I mean Augustine, well I expected it from , you know what, you became everything Augustine wanted you to become and I've gotta say I was hoping you wouldn't, but – you did it, I can't believe you did it, you killed Augustine and I don't know what that means for bio-terrorists - conduits, I don't know what that means for me – or this city. {sigh} May god have mercy on you Delsin]

We were silent, hopefully Eugene could shed some light on what the hell that message was about.

"Next location?" Eugene asked.

"Wait, what was that about?" I asked.

The angel swooped down and pulled me into the sky again.

"Eugene!" I yelled.

"Sorry, I'll slow it down!"

"No, not the angel!" I replied "tell me about the message."

Eugene sighed, "I mean it's a long story – let's listen to the others and then…"

"And then?"

"I'll explain everything," he replied.

We were both quiet for a couple of minutes, I sensed awkwardness in Eugene's voice – he didn't trust me.

"Miles?" he final said.

"Yeah?"

"Can I ask you about your ... ability?"

"I err" may as well be honest "I don't know what my powers are, or if I even have powers."

"Wait, you didn't even know that you were a conduit?"

"I suspected," I mean falling from the 10th floor and living to tell the tale in perfect health was a good indication – not to mention Curdun Cay – my cell was pretty impenetrable – unless you can go round melting doors I guess "I mean, I can't remember. I woke up in my cell and escaped with the others – that's all I remember, before then – blank!"

"But you met Delsin, right?"

"Yeah,"

"And he didn't?"

"What?"

"Delsin is like a power sponge," Eugene replied "he soaks up other conduits powers just by touching them –that's why he went to Curdun Cay - to get more powers."

So that's what the handshakes were about? "Oh, Eugene, we're here!" I pointed to another rooftop "put me down here!"

"It shall be done!" the angel yelled.

Okay I knew the drill, the audio log was not hard to find I placed the phone next to the machine and pressed play.

[You have a responsibility, Delsin. The other conduits look up to you – I looked up to you. I saw you with Fetch. How you corrupted her, she was easily manipulated – she might not have seemed it but Fetch, she was fragile. I don't know if you thought you were helping her but does any part of you feel like you did the opposite?]

"Okay," I said "you really need to fill in the gaps for me here."

"And I will," Eugene replied "when you've collected the rest."

"Onward!" The angel boomed as it darted towards me and I was up in the air again.

"Miles?"

"What is it?" I replied as I tried to stabilise the signal tracker "go right! Eugene - that's left!"

"Sorry," he replied "so what happened when Delsin shook your hand? At Curdun Cay?"

I paused for a moment, I really wasn't very sure "nothing," I said.

"Nothing?"

"Well, I mean…" I began "he seemed surprised. I may be wrong but …"

"What?"

"He looked at me like he knew me, I dunno" I replied.

"Wait, are you sure?" Eugene asked "like he knew you?"

"I'm not really sure – you know what, it's probably nothing," I said "I was pretty confused after the escape."

"Right, yeah. Of course."

"Right here, Eugene" and I was dropped on yet another rooftop.

There it was, red light blinking away in a potted plant. I removed it and swept the mud away – phone close, I pressed play.

[Okay Fetch was one thing – but Eugene (sigh) ...

"Turn it off, Miles!" Eugene yelled.

...these were vulnerable people. Not bio-terrorists, not conduits – people. You were in a position to do the right thing, Delsin...

"Miles. please. –shut it off!" Eugene yelled again.

... were you aware about the power you had over these people? I mean not your conduit abilities – your responsibility, they looked up to you and you were in a position to make a positive difference. I knew Eugene, I knew Eugene very well. You know what he was a good kid, no matter what Augustine did to change that and believe me when I say she really tried …

"Miles!" Eugene again.

"I can't turn it off!" I replied.

...in no time with you, and well you managed to accomplish more with Eugene in seven minutes than what Augustine managed in seven years.]

"What was he talking about?" I eventually asked.

"Nothing," Eugene snapped – his mood had changed quite drastically. The recording wasn't as informative as he thought it was, I was still none the wiser, but I guess it stirred up some pretty bad memories for Eugene. Perhaps Curdun Cay was the reason I couldn't remember anything – the more I learned from these recordings the more I thought about what the hell happened to me in there and I remembered Eugene's comment – when he said I was lucky that I couldn't remember.

"Miles," Eugene spoke, softer this time "I'm going to end the call for a bit – just call me when you're at the next audio log, I'll watch you on the cameras for now." The call ended abruptly.

The angel picked me up another time and we flew again. I gotta say I'd gotten used to this flying around, this would be a pretty sweet power to have – I hoped I had something similar to this.

The silence was giving me too much time to think – just what the hell was I getting involved with here? These audio logs were providing vague answers, but probably creating more questions. I pointed as I approached yet another rooftop – there had to be an easier place to hide these things.

My phone rang and I answered.

"Hey Miles,"

"Hey," I paused "are you ready for the next one?"

"Yeah, go ahead."

[In the days leading up to Augustine's death she was terrified, I mean of course she tried to hide it behind – well behind torture. I just feel sorry for the conduits back in Curdun Cay who are getting the brunt of it. Do you remember that guy I told you about? The Akomish guy. I walked by his cell and he had so much concrete embedded in him, I mean – uh I've never seen anything like it and he was laughing – not like he had been when we brought him in – this was insane, deranged - there he was strapped to a chair - concrete and blood everywhere, laughing manically. The things I've seen in that place and I gotta say that image, that laugh – that image and that sound will haunt me for a long time. I mean he could have just answered her questions – they were pretty simple – anything and everything he could tell her about you, Delsin Rowe. But he'd rather go through all of that and laugh in Augustine's face, just to protect you. The one piece of information he did divulge was that he didn't even know you – if that's even true. If that's true - people following you with loyalty as blind as that, now that's real power.]

"How many of these recordings are there?" I asked.

"There's no way of telling," Eugene replied "I think he may still be making them."

"And who is 'he'?" I asked.

"He…" Eugene hesitated "he was a prison guard with the DUP."

"Was?"

"He left a few days before Delsin killed Augustine," Eugene replied "I wasn't sure if he'd died but I guess these messages mean he's still alive right?"

There was a large explosion and fire filled the sky not too far away.

"Okay it's too dangerous there," Eugene said "time to get you out of there!"

The angel scooped me up again. I started the app once more.

"Miles, there's no need for the app," Eugene said "It's getting late, let's just continue tomorrow."

"Okay," I replied "Where to now?"

"You kept your end of the bargain," he said "I'm ready to meet you."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

The angel glided across the night skies, clasping on to me tightly, its wings reflecting light on the rooftops below.

Eugene had gone quiet, ending the call before telling me where exactly his angel was taking me.

Boom!

Shit! was that a grenade launcher?

Boom!

The angel dipped out of the way -dangerously close that time!

Boom!

The angel was struck and disintegrated into particles of light immediately, leaving me plummeting to the ground.

I hit the ground again – luckily the fall wasn't too far, not nearly as big a drop as from the hotel.

"You alright?" came a voice.

I opened my eyes to an intimidating looking man looming over me, grenade launcher over his shoulder and his hand extended out toward me to assist me up. I'd learnt my lesson, I was fine but maybe not a good idea to show it. I groaned and grabbed the stranger's hand. I groaned again almost stumbling as I got to my feet – laying it on thick.

"When I saw that thing carrying you away, I thought you were a goner!" he said.

"Yeah," my head was bowed – feigning injury – and I rolled my eyes under my hood "you're a real life saver."

"The streets aren't safe!" my _hero_ replied "you're unarmed, find yourself a weapon and come with us. We're gonna take our city back."

I lifted my head and a legion of video angels and demons came to my rescue.

"Shit!" my rescuer aimed his grenade launcher and fired it indiscriminately– taking out a building and a couple of Eugene's video buddies in the process. He threw me a pistol, "here!"

"I've never fired a gun in my life!" well not that I remembered anyway, sorry Eugene- had to make this look real - and I fired my pistol into two video demons that were closing in.

"We gotta fall back!" he called "there's too many of them!"

I hesitated, if I let Eugene's angels carry me away it would just prompt another rescue and I didn't want to test my odds against an explosive.

"You coming or not?!"

I didn't argue and we retreated down an alley way and under a bridge. There were others here, ten of them and they did not look pleased to see me – every gun, weapon – improvised weapon, one of them had what looked like several baseball bats strapped together crudely with insulation tape – and all aimed at me.

"Who the hell is this?!" was how one of them greeted me, pistol aimed in my direction.

"I rescued him from one of those freaks," my saviour proudly announced "you should have seen it - one of them winged freaks dragging him around in the streets like a rag doll."

"He saved my life!" I announced – I meant to sound more convincing.

"And how do you know he's not one of them, David?!" one of the mob asked.

"Think I'd still be alive if he was? You've all seen those bio-terrorists – they're mindless monsters going around killing everything that moves!" replied David – I think that's what they called him – it was hard to concentrate with all of this hostility aimed my way.

I can't say I approved of his opinions on 'conduits' but judging by the look of the city he probably had every right to think that way, I wasn't about to pipe up and condone the actions of my kind – from the evidence I could see all around me these people had every right to their beliefs. I was about to try to convince them not to kick my ass when my phone rang. I ignored it and continued looking at my apparent captures.

"Are you gonna answer that?" one of them asked suspiciously.

"Yeah," I sighed "yeah." I reached into my pocket.

"Hello?"

"Miles, where are you? I've got my angels looking for you but –"

"Yeah, I just got a little side-tracked," I answered, my eyes tracing each of the menacing looking weapons still facing my way "now is really not a good time."

"What are you talking about? Are you okay?"

"I've been better," I said "listen, I'll be with you very soon. Until then sit tight – don't worry about me – I'll be there soon." I ended the call – Eugene was just not getting it.

"Who was that?" David asked.

"A friend – we err – got separated when that thing grabbed me and carried me off. I really need to be getting back." I said.

The mob had maintained the same menacing glares throughout and then one stepped forward and no warning, held a gun to my forehead. I felt the coldness of the tip of the barrel lodged up against my skin.

I didn't say a word.

I couldn't say a word.

I winced and squeezed my eyes shut, silently pleading with the stranger not to fire.

"Put that down!" David yelled "do you really think if this boy here was one of those bio-terrorists that he would just stand there cowering?!"

"The last one did!" he spat through gritted teeth and thrust the gun harder into my head with every word.

"And what happened when you shot him?" David asked.

Shit, I really didn't like the sound of that!

"What happened?!" he repeated – Okay, Okay ease up David! You are not the one who's about to have your head blown clean from your shoulders.

"One mistake, what about all the others?" the pressure of the gun eased slightly "they all pleaded but I've seen bullets pass straight through these freaks, not a scratch on them."

"And that's not how it went down last time," David warned.

Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!

The pressure of the gun eased more, I opened my eyes slowly and the stranger cocked the pistol. Eyes wider – this was it! My heart thumped in my chest. I'm pretty sure a bullet to the head would be as lethal to a conduit as it was to a human. If I really did have powers this would have been the ideal time for me to remember how to use them.

Concentrate – concentrate – dammit - Nothing.

"Put it away, Morris!" David warned again.

"One bullet won't kill a conduit," one of the others from the mob announced, he'd been silent up until now "like you said – it will just pass right through him!" – shit! Really? Was this guy really trying to help?!

It worked, it worked! Morris lowered his gun.

And I took a sigh of relief – a very brief sigh of relief –

Morris turned and he fired and I fell to the floor screaming.

He'd shot my hand, he'd shot right through my hand. I grimaced in agony as I wrapped it tightly in my other hand – blood all over.

"What the fuck?!" David yelled out "Look! He's bleeding, he's fucking bleeding! He's not one of them. I fucking told you! He's not one of them!"

I glared up at Morris, shaking with adrenalin – rage – pain. He glared back coldly, eyeing my hand and then he just took off, not another word.

The others gathered round, a lot of guilty faces. A woman quickly tore a large piece of fabric from her shirt and began to wrap my wound.

What's the deal?! So conduits just have bullets pass through them? - I assume without leaving a gaping hole in their hand?! – wait, what did this mean? - was I a conduit? Was I actually a conduit? Argh my hand!

David got me to my feet, "I am real real sorry," he muttered – it was genuine.

I nodded, shaking, still a little lost for words.

"It's not safe out there," the woman announced "look, you're welcome to come with us, we'll get you back to your friend tomorrow."

As if to confirm her warnings, there was another explosion not too far away.

"We're staying in a bunker just past the check-point that way," she vaguely pointed "we can get someone there to take a look at your hand."

"I'll be fine," I replied.

"Don't be so stubborn!" the woman replied "that's suicide! If you won't come with us, we'll go with you."

"Gloria, we need to be getting to the bunker!" David snapped.

Then another explosion quickly chased up more sirens.

All eyes were on me. I wasn't about to lead an angry mob to Eugene – not like I knew where he was anyway – I'd stay in the bunker for tonight and sneak away first opportunity "you're right," I eventually replied still clasping my hand "so where's this bunker?"

We all walked cautiously, some small talk along the way – mostly conduit hating. We introduced ourselves the guy who rescued me was indeed called David, the woman was Gloria, the guy who shot and ran was Morris – the other names quickly escaped me –my mind was on other things as we approached a huge concrete tower. Before that were several gates and lines of security guards as far as I could see, the infamous DUP I'd heard so much about. I slowed whilst I examined the gates. We joined the queue – so this is where everyone was hold up.

As we got closer, I watched closely as each person stepped forward individually and placed their hands in scanners. The gates opened and they were free to enter. There was only one thing that the scanner could possibly have been checking. There's no way I could scan my hand – luckily I had an excuse.

"Miles?" Called David. I hadn't realised I'd lagged so far behind.

I stopped as did he, "don't you think I'll look a little suspicious?" I asked as I held up my hand covered in a blood drenched cloth.

"They only need your index finger," he replied "and you've got two unharmed, come on!" he proceeded toward the queue.

I pulled the cloth back, out of view from David. Both my index fingers were intact, unfortunately – not only that the hole had closed – I mean there was still a wound there, little more than a scratch now and I could almost see the skin mending.

I stood there starring in amazement – guess I really am a conduit.

"Miles!" David yelled again.

I quickly concealed the wound again and smiled nervously and quickly caught up. There were several people in front, I only had a few minutes to think of something. The first of our group approached and I still hadn't thought of anything. A DUP guard walked passed, he glared at me – the guy was huge. Did he suspect something? Running was out of the question – they'd shoot me down in seconds – having the ability to have bullets pass through would have been really helpful right about now.

Gloria approached the gate and put her hand on the scanner, David next and then me.

My phone rang – this was the distraction I needed. David turned.

"It's my friend," I said "I gotta take it." I began to back away.

The same DUP member who'd glared at me pushed David, "move along," he commanded.

"See you at the other side of the gate!" David yelled back at me.

I nodded, "Hello, Eugene?"

"You cannot go through that gate!"

"Yeah I figured as much!" I muttered as I walked further away from the queue, I glanced around looking for the camera Eugene was spying me through –it must have looked suspicious me loitering, I could see a couple of DUP agents eyeing me up and down whilst they spoke quietly, "could really do with a couple of angels right now."

"They're on their way."

I wasn't given a chance to answer, there was a loud siren and the DUP swarmed the gate.

[PRIME CONDUIT DETECTED - - - PRIME CONDUIT DETECTED - - - PRIME CONDUIT DETECTED]

I froze in fright - I looked up to see a man thrown to the floor, every gun aimed at him. Shit for a minute there - I thought they found me.

"I'm not a conduit- bio-terrorist!" he screamed out desperately "I'm not a bio-terrorist!"

I watched as one of the DUP smashed the back of his rifle into his head and he was silent. I already had the distraction I needed but as promised a fleet of angels joined the affray. Bullets and video projectiles flew in every direction. I threw myself down to the ground onto my front, hands over the back of my head. Everyone who was not already inside the concrete compound scattered screaming in every direction. Then several SUVs appeared on the scene. It was mayhem!

Several innocent people queuing were gunned down when a machine gun fired chaotically into the crowds – this was well and truly out of hand. They were willing to sacrifice innocent lives for the sake of some video angels Eugene could conjure up at will? I doubt Eugene even felt a thing when one of his buddies was vaporised with a bullet.

These guys were no better than the apparent conduits rampaging the streets – who the hell were the good guys?

Still lying flat out on the road, I inched forward attempting to turn around onto my stomach, so that I was facing in the right direction for escape but as I did I saw the conduit ahead, who had been knocked out. He rolled onto his back, he tilted his head in my direction, he looked dazed.

What the hell could I do? The battle was still raging on and for every angel and demon there were double and then triple the amount of DUP.

The conduit reached his hand out towards me and as a video projectile came close to hitting him, the lighting revealed that his head was soaked in his own blood. I didn't know what I could do –

I should have just gotten out of there.

I didn't even have any powers, how the hell could I even do anything?

But I couldn't leave him.

Goddamit - I inched toward him, head down hood up. The cloth came away from my hand as I pulled myself over the road with my arms. I paused when I noticed – the wound was gone – the blood remained but there was no wound at all – I couldn't even feel it anymore. Several bullets ricocheted off the road right next to me – there was no time I continued forward until I reached the conduit. He looked in a bad way he was fading in and out of consciousness and his eyes flickered as he tried to focus on me.

"I'll get you out of here," I said as I grasped his hand.

I can't explain what happened next – our hands were locked together like powerful magnets and a rush of energy swept through my entire body.

Shit this was it! This was my power!


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Urgh my head, what the hell just happened?!

I was unsteady when I got to my feet and extremely confused about being stood in the middle of a large crater. Before I could question anything my attention was drawn to the conduit I was attempting to rescue moments before. His legs were being sucked into the ground and he was screaming.

"What the hell did you do to me!?" his arms flailing as he was sucked in further as if he was submerging in quick sand, "what the hell did you do?"

What did I do? - I focused on my hands and how they had tiny bits of debris circling them and I couldn't explain the – I dunno – the sensation, I buzzed with power.

He fell suddenly, being sucked further into the ground. It was his power. The ground around us shook furiously. I rushed to him, he was below now, and I grabbed a fragment of road with one hand and reached out to him with the other. He was terrified but I knew what to do and I knew how to do it.

I focused on the ground surrounding the trapped conduit and it felt like I was pushing it up – it's hard to describe but I was telling the ground below what to do and it obeyed, it came to me as easy as commanding my hand to make a fist. It was still a struggle as I was fighting against his uncontrollable downward push as if we were locked into some sort of conduit arm-wrestle of powers.

"Stop struggling!" I strained through gritted teeth, I was losing him "try to relax."

He nodded thankfully and his power dwindled momentarily, allowing me the upper hand. My power pushed him from the ground and pulled at him from the air and I could finally reach him. I gripped his hand tight, I pushed the ground beneath him with every ounce of strength I could muster and pulled his arm with all of my physical strength. I almost had him free.

Then – Boom!

Something hit, our hands were ripped from their grip and I was thrown backward. I yelled through the smoke and clouds thrown up from the explosion, I tossed aside rocks that had partially buried me and scrambled to my feet just in time to see the smoke clear a little and the conduit swallowed up into the ground by his own power.

I stood, doing nothing. I'd discovered my power but I was powerless. Another explosion and I was thrown backward again. Shit I had to get out of here. I didn't think – I only acted, through pure instinct I focused my inner strength and I was catapulted into the air.

I was high above it all now, it was frightening and exhilarating all at the same time. I could see all the chaos below but up here I was untouchable. I felt invincible. I steadied myself and looked around, debris had followed me up but it immediately fell when it strayed too far from the grasps of my power.

Gravity manipulation was as good a power as any, I would have celebrated my new found power but after what I'd just witnessed all I could think about was the conduit who was buried alive by his own power and I remembered his words – "What did you do to me?!" – what did he mean by that? What did I do? And what exactly happened to him? He wasn't sucked under by my power, I'm certain I would have known if it was me.

I'd dwelt too long, it was time to leave - but where to? Eugene was the only lead I had – his number must have been on the phone – the one I pulled out of pocket in bits with a shattered screen that wouldn't even turn on – dammit!

Nevermind – I could go to his basement for now, I needed somewhere to stay for tonight and I was sure Eugene wouldn't mind.

Now how do I control this thing?

I let my arms rest beside me. I revolved slowly in the sky, I could feel myself encased in my own power and I seemed to have two settings – pull or push. I could focus on an area and from there I could draw things in or push them away – maybe there was more to it but I'd need to experiment more to figure out what else I could do. My power was pretty subtle too compared to the other powers I'd seen up to now, no flashy neon lights, melting metal or oubursts of wind – I could use this to my advantage though – getting around without creating chaos would make it much easier to slip under the DUPs radar.

Ready to experiment, I placed my hands behind me and pushed with my power! I was flying! Holy shit I was flying! Slow and steady at first - scared that I'd catapult myself halfway around the world but as I sped up I was surprised by how easy it was, I just knew what to do – it was like riding a bike - with training wheels.

I navigated the sky easily, maybe not as gracefully as I could have done but practice makes perfect. The basement was below me now, time to pull myself back down. Easy, slowly – I frantically looked around – the coast was clear – slowly, slowly aaaaaaand – feet firmly back on the floor.

That. Was. Awesome!

The sensation of my weight returning to me after feeling weightless was the oddest feeling but it only took a few seconds to recover and I gripped the door handles of the basement and wasted no time getting inside. As I went in deeper something felt very wrong and what a mess! What the hell had happened here?

"Eugene?" I called "hello?"

Nothing.

I cautiously crept in further amongst the smashed screens and broken glass, "anyone here?"

Nothing.

The place was completely trashed, the keyboard I'd used earlier was snapped in two and the screen above hung shattered from the wall. There was no way I was going to reach Eugene now. Who the hell did this? Those psycho DUP? – Maybe the other conduits? Considering the conduits were meant to be the ones wreaking all of this havoc, I hadn't bumped into many of them.

What could I do now? … I needed to sleep soon too - was it safe here? I yawned and my eyes struggled to remain open, so tired – guess all the flying around had taken it out of me. I doubted whoever trashed the place was coming back tonight – or I hoped not at least. I dug out a huge beanbag and carefully swept broken glass from it. I used the last of my strength to pull the beanbag along the floor and a little out of the way of all the chaos of the room, I fell into and closed my eyes.

Several hours later …

"Helllllooooooo!" a voice disturbed my sleep, I woke up a little each more with every foot step coming down the steps "Eugene? - anyone home?"

I threw my eyes open and a familiar face greeted me, it was sudden, I raised my hand to ready my defence.

"Oh wait, I remember you," Delsin said casually "what are you doing here?" he folded his arms and looked me up and down, resting his back on the doorframe.

I lowered my hand but I didn't answer.

"So…" he pressed himself away from the door and approached "seeing as you're here -you must have met Eugene? Do you know where he is?"

"I haven't."

Delsin cupped his ear encouraging me to repeat myself.

"I haven't," I said again louder – it wasn't strictly the truth but not a lie either, "I needed a place to stay, I found this place."

Delsin nodded, I'm not sure if he believed me or if he really cared, he'd started sifting through some loose papers spread a top a messy desk as if he was looking for something "ya know," he began "I've been looking for you too."

I got to my feet, I remained silent.

"I was thinking about Curdan Cay, you wouldn't believe some of the badass tricks I picked up the other day," he grinned and his attention was on me again "shadow, electricity – big fan, let's see – ice, water, fire …" he counted each ability on his fingers "I'm playing with glass at the moment," he demonstrated with his outstretched hand and each finger sprouted shards of thick glass – he looked at me, menacingly – for a split moment, and then he smiled, dropped his hand and allowed the glass to fall and smash onto the floor "I'm still finding new things all the time, I really should have made a checklist or something."

I nodded, not knowing where he was going with any of this.

"Anyway," he sighed and glanced about the room "Things is," he paused and his eyes bore into mine, "I don't think I got any powers from you."

My eyes widened. What did that mean? He didn't get gravity?

"What's your power?" he asked.

I hesitated but thought I'd play along for now, "Gravity,"

He gave a slow nod and I could see him calculating the possibilities, "sweet, I think I can work with that… well I mean as soon as I figure out where the hell you drain gravity from."

Drain it? What did that mean? I just used it I don't recall 'draining' it from anywhere.

"Can you demonstrate?" he asked, crossing his arms again. "you know – show me how it works?"

"What?" I replied "right now?"

"How dangerous can it be, right?" the idea seemed to excite him.

I looked around, I probably could do something relatively safe right here. I extended my arm locked my sights on to the broken glass, he'd cast from his fingertips just before and carefully I pulled it toward my fingers as if it was attached to small strings. It trembled and began to lift at my command, I even threw in a few rotations just to show off – but I was as surprised as Delsin looked, it was all still very new to me – the glass lifted slowly and smoothly until the shards barely touched my hand and I allowed them to fall – I still couldn't believe how natural my ability felt.

Delsin clapped "you have got to teach me!" he said with a huge grin.

I grinned too, it was pretty amazing.

"So I didn't catch your name" Delsin said.

"It's Miles," I replied – my name still didn't conjure up any memories.

"Miles," he replied muttering it "Miles," again.

The conversation had taken a serious turn, "Yeah," I replied. Well, my last name at least, my first name began with the letter 'A', according to my prison outfit, but I still couldn't remember anything.

"Huh," his eyes narrowed – did he know me? I'm sure his response would have been more significant if he did.

I thought about telling him about my amnesia, if he knew my last name – maybe he knew my first name, maybe he knew my family, where I came from – I dunno, something. But I quickly remembered the two conduits he so casually executed at Curdan Cay simply because they were a little too eager for their freedom – and then there were the audio logs, and that DUP agent recording them certainly didn't paint the best picture. I decided against telling him.

"Well if Eugene isn't here, I guess I gotta search someplace else," Delsin sighed.

I was somewhat relieved.

Delsin extended his hand to prompt a handshake, "was good to see you again, man."

I accepted and grasped his hand, I caught him smirk before my vision became blurred.

What the fuck?!

What was this!? I felt like my insides were being prized from me - I resisted, my vision sharpened once more in time to see the smirk fall from Delsin's face, whatever he had intended to do - it was not going to plan.

Earlier – with that conduit buried in the ground, when I had grabbed his hand, our hands locked and I couldn't let go – this time we were thrown apart – quite dramatically to opposite sides of the room. I didn't recover straight away. My mind was swimming – and then the images again.

Face after face after face, I could've sworn I knew some of them – and then there he was again – the last face the same as last time – Reggie. I shook it off and got to my knees it was all that I could manage.

"Who's Reggie?" I didn't mean to say it out loud. Through strained eyes I caught a glimpse of Delsin sitting upright, crushed into a shelf at the other side of the room. His face was overflowing with panic, he held his upright palms in front of him and he looked to be struggling to keep his powers under control.

"NO .. NO .. NO!" he yelled out body covered in glass "make it stop!" electricity sparks "Arghh!" shadow, grass, wood, ice, water – the powers were flicking in and out so quickly I could hardly make sense out of what I was seeing – wire, light, air, paper, neon, lazers, vapour, fire and lastly smoke and it was at that point he lost it.

He screamed out fighting his power manifestations trying desperately to cling onto his physical form, he became engulfed in flames and the shelf behind him set ablaze and the whole room was quickly submerged with thick smoke.

Shit I couldn't get near him – it was like the other conduit all over 'd lost control, I couldn't see it again – I couldn't see another conduit swallowed up in their own powers. It was cowardly, it was fight or flight and I chose flight. I left. I threw the doors open when I reached the top of the stairs, I could barely see through the plumes of smoke.

I turned around, I immediately regretted leaving him behind, I'd made a huge mistake "Delsin!" I yelled "shit!" I held my head in my hands "Delsin!"

It was no use, fire licked up around the entrance doors now, there was no way I could get in – no way he could get out. I tried to throw the fire away using gravity – it wasn't working – I was just making it worse. I stopped, hand over my mouth.

What the fuck just happened?!

I looked around for anyway I could help but again I was powerless. I landed on my knees and just sat there – helplessly and cowardly staring into the flames that devoured the doors.

And just to continue a theme – a DUP SUV came rolling around the corner, I hadn't even noticed until the machine gun began shooting several rounds my way. I didn't even try to protect myself but my powers did, the bullets froze a couple of feet away from me as if I was behind an invisible, impenetrable wall.

I stood. I was distraught, I was angry – I unleashed my power and sent the bullets sailing into the sky – but I didn't stop there, I raised my hand and hurled the SUV propelling into a skyscraper and watched as the building tumbled like a castle made of playing cards.

And I just watched.

Moments passed.

I came to my senses.

What if there were people in there? What if I'd hurt someone else? This was all too much – I threw myself into the sky and fled as fast as I could.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

A few hours must have passed by and I'd spent much of my time in solitude on the tallest roof I could find. Earlier I'd allowed myself to float way up above it all, as if I was on the surface of a calm lake – aside from feeling really cold, I'd never felt so at peace.

Now I sat a long way up, legs dangling looking down at the city below. A few days before and this would have been terrifying but when you know you could jump from any given height and never hit the floor – it sort of takes all the fear factor out of it.

Urgh – enough of this moping, I shook my head and forced a smile. Not that I remembered right now but I didn't feel the type that would sit around moping, I felt like I should be laughing – laughing away my problems.

Well maybe laughing was a bit much right now, I hadn't quite lost my mind just yet but on the bright side when I looked off into the far off distance the view was pretty damn beautiful. I was in no rush to return to the hell hole down below.

It was getting dark though, time to call it a night. Without hesitation I took a run and jump and freefell, plummeting to the ground – the road was in view. I began to push against the floor with my power. Something was wrong – my power was waning.

Shit! Shit! Shit! –

Phew!

I recovered at the very last minute with a roll and landed flat on my back, the landing certainly wasn't as soft as I'd have liked. I sat crouched and rested my palms on the road and then another rush. It felt like I was drawing energy from the ground, my fingertips tingled and my arms vibrated. I felt energy coursing through my arms channelling through me. After several seconds, I felt full and then the feeling passed. All charged up again – ahh so this was what Delsin had meant by 'draining gravity'.

I stood, fully energised ready to face the mayhem again - but what now? Where to? I wandered aimlessly for a long while taking in the chaos all around me. Deep in thought, supressing the sounds of madness I froze. There was someone staring at me from inside a shop window, the glass was cracked but I could just about make them out- a surprised face under a large hood. I neared, wait –

It was me.

My reflection – I stroked my face and the stranger staring back mimicked in chorus. Tanned skin, tired bloodshot brown eyes, I was pretty damn scrawny too.

"Who am I?" I whispered

I'd been so caught up in everything I hadn't had time to think about my identity but seeing a face I didn't know impersonating my expressions made me feel uneasy. Why was my memory not returning? Who am I?

I scowled and I threw my hand forward and smashed the mirror backwards with my power. Who am I? I panted with frustration and then took a deep inhale, I felt relieved that I was no longer glaring into my own stranger's face – shouldn't I be remembering something by now?

I continued onward, alone. Between the not so distant screams, gunfire and car alarms, I couldn't hear myself think, it wasn't safe to be walking around. There wasn't many others around I'd passed maybe a dozen as I strolled about aimlessly. I hadn't even noticed a fleet of DUP SUV's turn onto the road I was walking

"Please head to the nearest DUP safe zone in time for curfew. Anyone remaining outside past curfew will be assumed to be a bio-terrorist and will be executed on sight" The tinny almost inaudible announcement repeated itself several times as it passed, apparently only for my benefit, I didn't see anyone else around.

I really didn't like the sound of that and I guess it was getting late too – another eventful day – I needed somewhere to get my head down …. I couldn't return to the hotel or Eugene's basement and the only other place I knew of was the bunker David and co had been talking about – most likely the DUP safe zone. No - that was a stupid idea … wasn't it? I pondered, it wouldn't be like I'd need to scan my hand to get in – I'd just gravitate my way in unnoticed. No one would be looking for a conduit inside the compound – I'd hide in plain sight – with so many DUP and civilians in the area surely it would be the safest option and better than the warzone out here – provided I could blend in ….might as well check it out at least, I burst into the air again.

I was way up high looming over the bunker, too far away and too dark for anyone to see me – on the ground it was brightly lit with floodlights everywhere but I was still struggling to see anything from this high up – why couldn't I have super vision too?

I edged down, a whole load of DUP circled the parameter and there were some patrolling inside but not many civilians walking around. I edged in closer. I spotted an unoccupied corner that was piled high with refuse – urgh really?

There wasn't much choice – I lined myself up and lowered as much as I could without being seen and I powered off.

I fell and landed square in the middle of it. Urgh it stank and there was slime all over my leg and as I stood I put my hand in something – ah man!

"You there!"

I froze, and narrowed my eyes as a bright flashlight was blasted into my face.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" it was a DUP patrol man and his tone was terrifying.

"I err …" I had no good excuse.

"Are we going to have a problem!?" he spat brandishing a truncheon "return to your dorm!"

Phew, I leapt down from the refuse and brushed myself off as best as I could and nodded. He followed me, escorting me with the more than occasional abrupt shove, I didn't argue – I relied on him for the directions and he took me to a large concrete base in the centre.

Well that couldn't have been easier – actually, it was too easy - I approached the entrance ….. Annnd a handscanner …

I felt the colour drain from my face, of course I hesitated and without warning he grabbed my wrist forcing it toward the scanner. I pushed back – why would they have another scanner in the base if they already have several you had to pass through to get here?

Why wouldn't they?

I was a conduit after all who'd managed to make it this far.

He slammed my hand onto the scanner but I lifted my fingers so they weren't making contact.

[INCORRECT PLACEMENT – PLEASE TRY AGAIN]

My lack of cooperation didn't go unnoticed and the alarm had brought in a hoard of bigger and meaner looking DUP.

Shit – coming here was a huge mistake – my heart thudded in my chest, what the hell was I thinking?! Along with the adrenaline rushing through me I struggled to keep my power at bay.

"I'm warning you!" the DUP agent threatened "you have three seconds before I open fire."

Two DUP agents grabbed each of my arms – forcing my right hand toward the scanner and pulling my other arm behind my back, I could have levelled the place in seconds I'm sure of it, but I wasn't about to sacrifice all of these people.

I let me index finger line up with the little red dot.

[SCANNING… SCANNING…SCANNING]

This was it, I had about two seconds - time to test out how many bullets my body could take.

[NAGATIVE - CLEARANCE APPROVED … NEGATIVE – CLEARANCE APPROVED … PLEASE PROCEED THROUGH THE GATE … PLEASE PROCEED THROUGH THE GATE]

My bottom jaw almost hit the ground, my reaction was suspicious to say the least, but what could they do – apparently I wasn't a conduit?!

The agents threw me through the gate, I landed ungracefully onto my knees and they scolded me for wasting their time. Apparently that wasn't enough for one of them and he deemed it necessary to kick up a huge dust cloud that I sheltered my eyes from as it fell into me.

They left and I got to my feet, stood there for a few moments still in shock, how the hell -?!

"Do you have a bed?"

I almost jumped out of my skin, I looked to see the woman who had addressed me. She sort of looked a bit like a nurse, she held a clipboard out in front of her and didn't even give me a glance.

"No," I replied.

"Follow me," she led me down the aisles and aisles of beds and sleeping people – it was a crazy sight – we stopped at a row of unoccupied beds.

"If you need anything, there's a few of us dotted around."

"thank you," I said as I sat.

"Showers are that way," she gestured – how _subtle_ "Can I take your name?"

"Aiden," I replied – huh, where did that come from? Aiden – Aiden Miles – I remembered.

"Aiden ….?" She paused "you have a last name?"

I was still amazed I remembered my first name "Miles,"

"You have anyone who may be looking for you - family, friends?" she asked.

I stared blankly. I may have finally remembered my name but anything else was still beyond my grasps for now it seemed.

"I'll stick your name and bed number up on the board," she said "if anyone comes in here looking for you – they'll know where to find you."

She left and I lay on my back, my feet hung off the edge. Eyes wide – I stared into the darkness above. What the hell created this construction? A Massive hollowed out tower of concrete with no windows. It didn't matter, I wasn't even meant to be here – how exactly did I get past the scanner? Nothing made any sense. I took the earlier hint and went off for a shower. I returned to my bed and lay down feeling somewhat refreshed at least - now for some shuteye.

Instead I tossed and turned, wondered what time it was and sat up, I couldn't sleep. Nothing made any sense – I'd been so preoccupied since Cardun Cay that I hadn't had any time to think and as I lay there in the darkness it felt as if my mind was collapsing in on me. I flicked from one anxiety to another - I needed to find out who I was and I didn't have any leads. Maybe Eugene could help? If I ever heard from him again.

I must have eventually fallen asleep but some time later I was again disturbed by another abrupt awakening. More gunfire and screams outside – unfortunately this was a running theme. I sat, others were waking too. Many heading hurriedly towards the exit – what the hell was going on outside?

I got to my feet and followed the crowd. Outside people were congregating towards the main entrance gate. I peered through the crowds to see a woman just outside wailing as she cradled a dying man in her arms.

"He's not a bio- terrorist!" she screamed "you killed him!" she cried out "he's not a bio-terrorist!"

She wasn't the only one, from my position I could see the bodies of at least three others lying lifeless in pools of their own blood just outside the gates.

[PRIME CONDUIT DETECTED - - - PRIME CONDUIT DETECTED - - - PRIME CONDUIT DETECTED]

More gunfire and another body, the DUP shot first and asked questions later.

[PRIME CONDUIT DETECTED - - - PRIME CONDUIT DETECTED - - - PRIME CONDUIT DETECTED]

Gunshots.

[PRIME CONDUIT DETECTED - - - PRIME CONDUIT DETECTED - - - PRIME CONDUIT DETECTED]

Gunshots.

[PRIME CONDUIT DETECTED - - - PRIME CONDUIT DETECTED - - - PRIME CONDUIT DETECTED]

More gunshots. It was a massacre.

What the hell was happening? Everyone who scanned was being confirmed as conduits and they were shot before they had a chance to even remove their hands from the scanners. The bodies were mounting and the people on the outside were refusing to step forward. The DUP were forcing them to scan and sure enough they were all confirmed as conduits. Something was really wrong here. Surely as conduits, knowing their fate after scanning - they wouldn't waltz up to the DUP base en masse, scan and then not even try to defend themselves.

The wailing woman still cradling the man's corpse wasn't the only one protesting innocence. Others were proclaiming innocence too. The crowd was roaring with claims that the scanners were defective and even the DUP were beginning to have doubts as the scanners over and over again confirmed that everyone who was forced through was a conduit.

I remained concealed among the people within the walls of the base and watched closely as a DUP officer approached one of the scanners, he was trying to be discreet, he pulled off his glove and I focused as he pressed his hand on the scanner and sure enough ….

[PRIME CONDUIT DETECTED - - - PRIME CONDUIT DETECTED - - - PRIME CONDUIT DETECTED]

The officer signalled for the other DUPs to lower their weapons. It appeared that the scanners were indeed faulty – they were naming everyone who scanned as a conduit. It was horrific that it took more bodies than I could count for them to realise.

The crowd was understandably terrified and a flare was thrown into us before all control was lost and the DUP rushed toward us all as a loud siren was set off. I was pushed back without the aid of my legs, as was the entire crowd as the DUP attempted to herd us all back inside.

I had no choice but to be shepherded, embedded amidst it all. The scanner on the way into the sleepbay was completely ignored and the gates remained open for everyone to re-enter.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

We sat around for hours, I spoke to no one. Apparently no one was allowed to leave or enter until the scanners were fixed. Perhaps it was a ploy to keep everyone inside. The tower seemed a lot smaller with so many people crammed inside. We were free of DUP in here but they circled directly outside.

And finally, unfortunately, somebody noticed me"Hey," I lifted my head to see a familiar face standing over me.

"David?" I replied surprised to see him.

"I'm glad you made it!" he gripped my shoulder and smiled.

"Yeah, starting to wish I hadn't," I replied, referring to the earlier incident.

"Listen," he paused and crouched beside me "I overheard a few of the DUP talking earlier," his eyes shot around as if trying to be inconspicuous "apparently they say someone hacked into the DUP database, they're trying to keep it quiet saying the whole system has been compromised … apparently the hackers managed to tamper with the response on the scanners."

"You mean…" I mulled it over for a moment "so a conduit could pass for… a none conduit and none conduits look like conduits." Of course it made sense now, that's how I got in.

David eyed me – long enough for me to question my response "bio-terrorist, you mean?" he eventually replied with a raised brow.

"Yeah, of course that's what I meant," phew – but was that the only suspicious thing I'd said?

"Hmm, well now I hadn't thought of that," David murmured, what hadn't he thought of?! - Shit! He'd only said 'tampered with the response' that didn't necessarily mean switched the responses, had I given myself away?

David's demeanor had seemed to change toward me, although I could tell he was trying to hide that fact, he continued whispering "they said they think it happened a little after midnight but there's no way of knowing for certain."

I nodded – what was he getting at, what did he know?

"Good thing you made it in when you did!" he said with a relaxed grin "any later and that thing would've singled you out as one of them!"

Paranoia alleviated I took a subtle sigh of relief, "yeah," I nodded.

"Anyway Aiden - soups arrived, you hungry?" he asked.

Aiden?

I felt my eyes widen - I didn't tell him my name was Aiden, I couldn't have done I didn't remember it back then – but he seemed unaware of his error "want some soup or not?" he asked with a frown.

"Sure," I nodded.

I waited until he was out of view, the only place he could have seen my name was the board the nurse woman had mentioned. Come to think of it I'd spotted something like that near the entrance, I got up and hurried over.

I scanned down the list of names and noticed something. Name, bed number, date and time of entry and there I was, the very last one.

NAME : AIDEN MILES / BED-NO: LL70 / ENTRY DATE-TIME: 11 AUG 00:09

Shit, a little after midnight. David had overheard that the scanners were hacked just after midnight. I looked at the board again – I was the last person to have entered and the only one to have entered after midnight – I guess anyone trying to enter after me were confirmed as conduits and didn't make it in however in my case the scanner allowed me entry. David was on to me, he had to be.

I turned and looked through the rows of beds at the far end of the room to see if David had returned to my bed with a bowl of soup, he hadn't but there were a couple of officers standing around it. One was looking at the bed number and the other was looking about the room- looking for me. Had they reached the same conclusion as David?! Did they suspect that I was a conduit?

It suddenly felt like the walls were closing in, I quickly paced toward the exit. I couldn't use my powers in here, not only for the sake of the innocent people cooped up inside but there was no way I was getting through the thick layers of concrete. I could see a group of people congregated just outside, guarded by several DUP and I was hoping to blend in with them – once outside I could just burst out before anyone could even react. I quickened my pace until I was at the door, I was about to take a step to freedom when I felt something hard pressed up against my back – a gun?

"Stay calm," whispered a familiar voice down my ear – David.

I slowly tilted my head back, just able to see him out of the corner of my eye. He was standing pretty close no one would have even realised he had a gun pressed into my back. I raised my hands to my shoulders to show him that I surrendered and I heard him gasp. What?! Oh shit! My hand – my healed hand … with not a scratch on it. If he had his doubts before - I'd definitely confirmed to him that I was a conduit now. I closed my eyes in a regretful grimace, what would happen now?

I used his moment of distraction to my advantage and with my power I ripped the gun from his hand and sent it flying across the room. The gun was accidentally set off as it landed and several people screamed and ducked for cover – the DUP immediately raised the weapons unsure of where to aim and they all screamed in un-synched unison "Get down! Get down!"

"Bio-terrorist!" David yelled out as he pointed at me "he's Aiden Miles, he's the one you're looking for!"

Fuck!

I threw him backward with my power, in a flurry of panic I sent a wave of energy in a 360 degree pulse around me and everyone and everything close to me was thrown away, I wasn't thinking – purely running on adrenalin – I catapulted myself out of the concrete tower and landed into another concrete towers outer wall, opposite. Bullets pelted the wall all around me, on raw survival instinct I ran – I ran up the wall.

I reached the top and it was no longer bullets I was avoiding but huge lumps of concrete. I turned, gravity locking me onto the wall and I gazed down to see several large DUP in hot pursuit – using concrete powers. How could they do that? Were they conduits too? What the fuck?!

I turned again and climbed onto the roof, correcting gravity to allow me to stand on the roof. I hadn't realised one of them had crept up behind me and he grabbed me forcibly restraining me. He was heavy and I couldn't shake him, I picked us up with my power and threw us down using his back to break the fall and I pulled us through several floors of the concrete tower - it took all my strength.

The concrete was too thick to penetrate anymore and we were surrounded in dust clouds that kicked up all around but my assailant had loosened his grip and I was able to scramble away and stand – he was looking a little worse for ware – embedded half way through the floor, helmet smashed I could see his bloodied face. I think he may have been knocked unconscious. I tentatively moved toward him. Before I could evade he clutched my arm and I grabbed at his hand to peel it off.

The moment I touched him, a familiar feeling surged through my finger tips, I felt myself leeching from him, lapping up his concrete abilities. A huge boulder tossed my way forced me to break contact. I threw my hand forward and the concrete all around us was at my command. My adrenalin made me stronger and my body shook with power.

I could feel my new found ability to manipulate concrete melding in with my power of gravity and I lifted the entire tower a good way from the ground and held it in the air. I couldn't begin to guess at how many tonnes I was holding up entirely by will but it felt like an amazing feat of power. I shook the tower, I was locked to it by my gravity but the DUP weren't so lucky and they were flung from it until I was the only one who remained standing. I carefully allowed the tower to land and pulled it into the ground with my power to secure it and wasted no time making my escape – I bolted into the sky.

I slowed my speed and drifted through the sky for several moments longer before landing on a rooftop. I inspected my palms and allowed them to coat over in concrete - so now I could use concrete too – was I like Delsin then? A power sponge?

Wait – a flicker of what I think was a memory intruded into my awareness. Curdan Cay - my cell - a chair - I was locked into it. The agony, in the memory I looked at my bound legs. I wasn't strapped into the chair – I was impaled into it with concrete. But I could pull it out through sheer will, I could break it down, just by thinking about it. I felt it disintegrate and fall from my body – before I could completely free myself a DUP agent quickly entered – no good, the memory was blurring out.

I shook myself back into reality, sat alone on a rooftop in the middle of the city and tried to make sense of my flashback. I realised - The concrete DUP agent didn't give me concrete powers just now, I already had them, my memory was foggy but I was certain of that, I was using my concrete power in that memory - concrete was the first power I'd absorbed, back in Curdan Cay - how and from whom I couldn't remember. Was I like Delsin? What else had I forgotten- what else could I do?

I had no more time to think, without warning I was pulled from the roof and accelerated into the sky, it was a shock but I knew this feeling. I looked up to see I was in the arms of one of Eugene's angels. He didn't speak like earlier – he remained silent. I allowed him to carry me, he'd take me to Eugene – with any luck I might get some answers.

The ride was not gentle, I was flung about in all directions and hurdled between the skyscrapers. The angel set me down after several minutes in the sky, on another desolate rooftop. This was not what I was expecting.

"What now?" I called up to the angel.

The angel simply pointed and as I shifted my gaze to where it drew me I saw a red blinking light an audio log. I knew what to do.

[Aiden, Aiden Miles, this message is for you and I hope it reaches you. Heh, you probably won't remember me … but we've already met, we met back at Curdan Cay – it's a meeting I'll certainly never forget (sigh) listen, I can't say much on here but I need to see you. I need answers – perhaps you do too, I can help you. Listen the military are coming and they'll be here very soon – trust me, they make the DUP look tame. I'm going to find us a safe place to rendezvous until then don't get yourself killed and … this might seem like an odd request but you gotta stay away from other conduits and you gotta stay away from Delsin Row and destroy this recording.]

Who the hell was this guy? I remembered Eugene telling me he was one of the DUPs and judging by the recordings so far he really did seem to have all of the answers but was he really looking to me for answers – good luck with that. I looked toward the angel only to realise it was gone and I was left alone once more. I'd worry about my next move in a moment, first I better do as the audio instructed and destroy the recording. I rested my palm on the device and encased it in thick layers of concrete with the intention of compressing it into nothing.

But - without warning a bright neon light, from nowhere, launched toward me and snatched the concrete block from my hand. I staggered but remained on my feet, hands still outstretched holding nothing as I watched the light fading away into the distance. I came to my senses and lifted my hand attempting to catch the conduit responsible but whoever it was they were too far away from my attempted grasps.

I'd definitely seen that power before though, the bright neon light - it was exactly the same power Delsin had used to incinerate the conduits trying to escape Curdan Cay. Was it Delsin? Someone else? I had no idea.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Alone again, I took to the streets - hood up, careful not to make eye contact with the very few people passing by - traversing the hellish scenery of Seattle, none of this seemed familiar. I guess it must have looked nice before the DUP and the conduits used it as their battle ground. I wasn't even close to remembering anything and I hadn't heard anything from Eugene or his angels for a while – I missed the distraction.

Be careful what you wish for I sighed as gunshots were fired from down an alleyway not far from me. I didn't need to get involved – I quickened my pace in the opposite direction. Then a loud scream, I froze. I shouldn't get involved, I really shouldn't get involved - more gunshots, another scream – dammit.

I cautiously hurried down the alleyway unsure of what I was walking into. Had I always been this reckless? or was my power making me feel invincible? I froze, somewhat concealed in shadows created by an overhanging canopy.

There was a man, I could see his side profile and I immediately recognised him – Morris, the guy who had so kindly shot through my hand. He was currently standing on the throat of a woman squirming beneath his boot, that wasn't all she was covered in blood, the same blood soaked into a baseball bat that he clutched by his side, neither of them had spotted me. If she was a conduit, surely she would be fighting back – this guy was obviously a psychopathic asshole using his little conduit crusade as an excuse to inflict violence on whomever was unlucky to cross his path. I raised my hand, I'd put a stop to him.

In my mind I practiced throwing him several hundred feet into the air and wrapping concrete boulders around his legs, letting go and leaving gravity to do the rest, however that's not what happened next. The girl coughed and wheezed beneath him and I could tell that she used every ounce of her strength to splutter up a flurry of paper that struck her assailant from every direction like an agitated swarm of bees. Morris stumbled momentarily and covered his face from harm. The razor thin like paper was slicing away at his bare arms – it was impressive, who knew paper could be so destructive. However the poor girl, exhausted, was unable to keep up her tirade. Her arms fell outwards onto the floor and her head slumped and fell in my direction.

Our eyes locked.

"Celia?" the name crept from my mouth before I even realised I recognised her.

She didn't hear me, but Morris did. He immediately shot his sights towards me, closely followed by his gun – he didn't hesitate like I did and I was thrown back by several bullets.

I landed heavily on my back and the wind was knocked from me, I clenched my fists and winced, urgh I was lead to believe bullets to a conduit were like a walk in the park - agony -– I resisted trying to writhe around or move too much I didn't need any more bullets. I could feel them inside my flesh, one in my torso, one through my shoulder and the other through my arm. I lay dazed but the strangest sensation washed through me and it was as if my power was on autopilot. The bullets were pushed from my body by shards of concrete originating from within me and the pain was quickly vanishing.

This time I wouldn't hesitate, recovered - I leapt to my feet, enraged - I punched the air throwing my target backwards away from Celia and I curled my fingers into a ball as if to give my concrete instruction and I watched callously as Morris became helplessly locked into placed by thick boulders. In a desperate bid to break free he shot at the manifesting concrete swiftly approaching his thighs, realising this was no good he turned the gun on me once more. I was prepared this time, the bullets came to an abrupt halt but a few centermetres from me and I span them in his direction, his gasp was my cue and I let them loose – only coming to my senses millimetres before one of the bullets was about to penetrate his forehead. I wasn't going to be a killer. I relaxed my influence of the bullets and they fell from their trajectory and hit the floor.

Morris said nothing, eyes wide he dropped his gun as the concrete continued to envelope him. I ceased at his shoulders and turned my attention to Celia.

She was standing now, slouched but on her feet and encased in odd paper armour she'd adorned herself in, the paper stained red in her own blood, tightly clinging onto a rather large wound to her side. Her healing ability was obviously overwhelmed, she'd been injured beyond the level her conduit abilities could cope with.

"Celia," I whispered – I recognised her but from where seemed just out of my grasps.

"I don't know you," she coldly remarked. Though I couldn't make out her expression behind her paper made rabbit like mask.

What was this feeling? I was deeply concerned for this stranger, Celia? As if she should have been someone I deeply cared for, I continued my gaze wondering if she was staring back, she fell to her knees and groaned pulling her bloody soaked paper hand away. I didn't think – my first instinct was to comfort her. I lunged forward to catch her, I gripped her shoulders and immediately felt somehow as if we were blending, I let go straight away - once I realised my mistake, but it was too late. My power had already reacted with hers and she lifted from the ground and let out a loud scream. She became a violent whirlwind of paper that threatened me to stay away. I heeded her warning and scrambled away from her on the floor.

The contact was brief but as earlier, several images flashed through my mind – images that didn't belong to me. I had no idea who most of these faces were but two were prominent – one I knew, Delsin Rowe … the other – a middle aged woman - Augustine – seemed to be the name I was getting, she actually seemed vaguely familiar to me too but I couldn't be sure. Not only had I acquired what I presumed to be Celia's thoughts but I could feel a new surge of energy flowing within me. Had I taken Celia's power too?

Celia showed no sign of calming and Morris remained stranded in his concrete restraints bellowing for help, if this continued we'd definitely attract unwanted attention – but I couldn't leave Celia like I had the gravity conduit and Delsin.

"Saisei!" I'm not sure where it came from but I somehow knew Celia would understand the relevance.

It worked! – I think. The spiraling paper ceased and Celia in her normal form slammed to the ground "how did you know that?!" she writhed, winded, her power seizing up with her words, it seemed she was struggling to keep it under control "what did you do to me?!"

Her control was waning - her power was building and building and she was unable to subdue it – it reminded me of the gravity conduit swallowed up in the ground, of Delsin losing control – and then it dawned on me –it my fault, a side effect of my power. Was I more than a power sponge?

"Hands up! Hands up!" Several DUPs flooded the alleyway and surrounded us.

Celia lost it, she screeched again and diminished in to streams of paper and threw herself into the DUP, sweeping several of them off their feet, the wind carried her away and the remaining streams of paper scattered like confetti and drifted to the floor. My heart sank, I didn't see Celia's form manifest after that – just scraps of paper strewn about in different directions being separated in the wind.

Now was my chance to escape - Celia had certainly stolen the limelight - dammit, I couldn't leave her, I'd already promised myself I wouldn't but when she didn't re-emerge and my hopes were dashed the DUPs attention turned to me.

"He's a bio-terrorist!" Morris called out.

Could I recover from a tirade of close range bullets? I didn't fancy my chances, I raised my hands in surrender but of course I denied Morris' claims. I was struck violently by one of the officers and I fell – remembering that a blow like that could have quite possibly rendered a normal person unconscious. I lay there feigning injury, don't get me wrong it hurt - but I was already recovering.

I was dragged to my feet by two DUPs hauling me up, one holding each of my arms.

"He's a bio-terrorist!" Morris called out again as if they needed to be reminded.

Luckily for now they didn't seem to take him too seriously, it looked as if they suspected him too. I allowed the DUPs to carry me off leaving several of them behind with Morris. How the hell did I end up in this predicament?

I didn't assist their movement, I stumbled and slumped as they marched me away. I was escorted to a huge black van brandished with the DUP logo. There was at least ten in a circle around me, I kept my head down and my hood hid most of my face. A DUP abruptly ripped the hood from my head and I came face to face with him, he looked me up and down from behind a menacing mask and pulled the van's heavy side door aside. I spotted a hand scanner on being forced inside, I was momentarily startled by its presence but quickly realised it was powered off. Were the hand scanners still malfunctioning? Just how widespread was the problem if this scanner was affected too? It didn't matter. I was struck again by a DUP officer from behind and patted down, I had no belongings – on that realisation, the DUP forced me into a seat in the back of the van. I was promptly cuffed into a large heavy yellow device that seemed excessive. It weighed my arms down and greatly restricted my movement. Several of the DUPs sat around me and the door was slammed closed. Then we were moving.

I didn't dare look up, my vision focused on faint red blemishes that were most likely blood stained onto the vans white floor, the windows were completely blacked out and the lighting was extremely harsh and hurt my eyes.

How was I going to get out of this one? For now I guess the only luck I had on my side was the disruption of the scanners. I had no idea if they had any other means of identifying conduits but at least for now there was no way they could be certain I was actually a conduit.

I slouched back and allowed my heavy lids to close, I drifted somewhere between awake and asleep. The DUPs accompanying me must have assumed I was asleep as they began to talk freely among themselves.

"What do you reckon?" one of the muttered, I guess they were referring to the question of whether I was a conduit or not.

"It's not like it matters," came a reply.

"We got an ID?"

"Nope, he had nothing on him."

"Did you see the state of the other guy?"

Did they mean Morris? I didn't know who was talking to who, my eyes remained closed as I intently listened.

"The guy up to his neck in concrete?"

"Yea, I've seen shit like that before from Augustine," there was a pause "it's weird and unnatural."

"Yeah, I've not seen anything like that since the concrete DUPs"

"How Augustine ever got permission to turn those poor guys into those freaks!"

"Fighting fire with fire, or so that's what I heard her motto was," a sigh "glad those days are over."

"We're lucky we didn't get that treatment if Augustine had had any longer we'd most likely be one of them by now, I heard it mashed their heads – they become robotic - can't think for themselves," the voice was a hushed whisper, it was difficult to hear over the sound of the van in motion "You know what else I heard? The military are planning to get rid of them – execute them I heard – the military don't take any chances."

"You know we're not meant to talk about that shit, just count yourself lucky you're not one of them."

The conversation died down and I wasn't sure if I did actually manage to slip into sleep in the end or not but I was abruptly brought to by some more violence. I groaned as I was suddenly lifted from my seat. The van's motion had ceased.

"On your feet!" the DUP yelled.

I felt groggy, still tired. I was pulled from the van and landed on some grass – far ahead was a huge barbed wire fence lined with armed DUPs around the perimeter I did not like the look of this one bit. Perhaps my newly acquired paper powers would make for a feasible escape, there was woodland all around I could lose them in. Was I even in Seattle anymore?

We marched ahead, it was now or never. I could feel the new power surging and swirling around me, how did this work? I stopped for a moment attempting to execute my powers.

Nothing.

I searched inside myself, I could definitely feel it's presence lingering, bottled inside but try as I might I could not release it.

"Move along!" The DUP behind me gave me a hard shove, forcing me to advance.

Well that was disappointing, paper was a no go. Looked like I'd have to rely on good old gravity. I easily located the energy within me that I identified as gravity, it was a strange sensation – each power felt distinctly different but gave me a similar buzz. I looked around, I'd throw them all away and burst into the skies.

Again the power built and swirled within me, but I couldn't use it. What the hell?

Concrete?

No! no concrete either.

Shit.

Was this heavy yellow device clamped around my hands somehow nullifying my powers? It was the only explanation.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Shit I'd really messed up this time. I had a horrible sinking feeling in my stomach - no choice but to go along with this. I was escorted into a large structure and up on entering I was taken aback by how much it looked like Curdan Cay. I felt light headed and nauseated, I could feel my palms were sweaty locked within this device. It was almost as if my body had remembered what my mind had forgot, I didn't like that.

"I don't feel so good," I muttered, but my complaints went unheeded and I was dragged into a little dingy room and made to sit down at desk with an empty chair awaiting an occupant. I had a couple of DUPs either side of me and I was still cuffed. I looked toward my feet, hood pulled over my face mostly covering it, I didn't look up to greet the man who took a seat opposite. My head span with panic.

"Name?" he asked.

I swallowed hard, I said nothing.

"Gonna be like that is it?" the man sighed.

I remained silent.

"So will you co-operate?"

I remained still.

"Conduit abilities?" he asked "let's not waste each other's time."

Without warning I was struck in the back of the head and my hood was pulled backwards head held in place I was forced to take notice of my captor.

His eyes wide he faltered for a moment "you!?"

What? This guy knew me? No use - I didn't have the faintest idea about who he was.

The man sighed again he looked toward the DUPs, "you may leave."

"What?"

"He's cuffed, I'll be fine – just wait outside."

"With all due respect..."

"Outside. Now."

The DUPs did as asked and it was just the two of us.

"Aiden Miles," he smirked "Heh, I didn't know you were that eager to talk to me that you'd get yourself caught, you can quit the act now."

"Who are you?" I asked, I was as confused as ever.

"Are you serious?" the man was not amused "I'm insulted," the smirk fell from his face, "you really don't remember me?"

I certainly recognised his voice come to think of it but from where I had no idea.

"I don't remember anything," I admitted.

The man eyed me suspiciously but I think he believed me, "what the hell did Augustine do to you?"

"Tell me who you are," I said.

"You wouldn't know my name even if I told you – I'm Troy Mason."

I was confused by his statement and he was right, his name meant nothing to me.

The door knocked and a DUP entered, he signalled for Troy's attention.

Troy nodded, "could you escort the bio-terrorist to a cell?"

That would be me then, he knew that I was a conduit at the very least. The DUP grabbed me by the arm. I wanted to know who Troy Mason was, I scrutinized his face willing myself to remember as I was dragged from the room but he paid me no mind and I was taken away down the corridor and into an elevator. The DUP and I exchanged no words and upon exiting the elevator I was confined into a cell that looked no different from where I'd awoken in Curdan Cay. I was instructed to slot my cuffs into a gap in the wall, I did so and was released and now the door was locked firmly but at least my hands were free, I slowly rubbed sensation back into them.

The lights went out, leaving me in the pitch dark. I felt around the room, located my bed and I sighed and took a seat, the mattress was just as hard as my past cell. Although I couldn't see what I was doing I summoned a small lump of concrete into my hand – just to check I still could – I was successful, so I was right - it was the cuffs after all that had prevented me from summoning my powers.

The sensory deprivation was forcing me to retreat within my own head - I was left alone with my thoughts. My powers? I still didn't get it fully – but the way I understood it was - I can take the powers of other conduits just like Delsin but unlike Delsin, when I do it - I sent their powers crazy somehow. The gravity conduit, Delsin, Celia – are they all dead? Why did I feel such heart break at this notion when I thought of Celia? Who was Celia? So much I don't yet understand. I thought back to the recordings from the black boxes that Eugene was having me retrieve, that final one, it said "stay away from other conduits and you gotta stay away from Delsin Rowe." Whoever the guy behind the recordings was – he definitely knew more than I did.

I lay down starring into the blackness, alone with a big black hole where there should have been memories, my brain attempting to fill it with ideas about what my past may have contained, it felt like torture. I clutched my head and wanted nothing more than to remember who I was.

… What the?! All of a sudden, I'm sitting in a chair - I was locked into it. I wasn't strapped into the chair – I was impaled into it with concrete.

This isn't a dream, it's a memory, I've seen this before – it's clearer than the last time I recalled it –

There's a woman standing over me, mid-forties with a smug expression. It's her, Celia knows her too - Her name is … Augustine.

"I'm told that hurts," she smirks "I can put an end to this as soon as you tell me what I want to know."

Urgh the memory is fading – NO! I need to concentrate, I need to remember. My head pounds.

"I'm not a bio-terrorist," I say through strained agony "even if I was I wouldn't tell you shit!" Arghhh, I'm impaled by another concrete shard through my thigh this time.

"Mr Miles," Augustine pauses "you've tested positive for the conduit gene, you are a conduit that much we've established – come one now I'm a conduit too, we're on the same side. Tell me about your power and about Delsin. These aren't difficult questions - This misplaced loyalty you have –"

"Misplaced?" It hurts to laugh but I do it just to see the smirk fall from that bitch's face "forget being a conduit – I'm Akomish. I've told you I don't know Delsin and even if I did – Akomish stick together."

Augustine was furious several concrete shards pierce me in various places – missing vital organs and then she grips me by the arm. Shit – what the hell is this!?

She screams.

The memory abruptly comes to a halt… I can't remember anymore - I'm exhausted and my mind quiets down into nothing. In my state of mental exhaustion I must have fallen asleep.

Some time later, I was awoken by the lights and a loud bang on my reinforced cell door – A DUP. I squinted and rubbed at my tired eyes.

"Akomish? I'm Akomish." I muttered to myself – I don't remember.

"Get up!" the DUP commanded.

He was masked and fully armoured. I stood weakly and almost stumbled – what the hell was this feeling? It was almost like hunger but not quite. It was more like a need to drain power from somewhere, I guess having no elemental stimulus to feed my power had brought on my current feelings of weakness, who knows how this worked?

"I won't tell you again!" The DUP called, voice masked – I hadn't even realised he'd been talking.

I looked at him still dazed, my vision softly swayed and I couldn't quite focus it – urgh I hadn't felt like this before – not that I could remember.

"Put your hands in the cuffs!" he yelled impatiently.

I almost fell forward into them but did as he asked, I felt my hands locked in and pulled it from the door and my cell door opened. I walked out, my arms attached into the device that prevented my powers manifesting and the DUP gripped me by the shoulder and began to escort me down a corridor.

My head still pounded. Where was I being taken now? I was thrown through a door and landed into a small room with another door but there was also a familiar looking mechanism. I pushed the device locked to my hands into it and was released. I flexed my fingers and rolled my wrists, the cuffs were really uncomfortable I felt relief to have them removed. Suddenly, the other door pulled itself open and with seemingly no other options and nowhere else to go - I entered.

I took a moment to look around. I had no idea what this was? An arena? An assault course? It was pretty huge, I wondered into the centre – there were large blacked out windows spanning the whole room from above – I was probably being observed.

Suddenly the door on the opposite side of the room, from the door I'd entered through, opened and someone else was thrown in, the door slammed shut behind him.

"I'm not a bio-terrorist!" the guy got to his feet and immediately started hammering the door with his fists.

I simply looked on, my mind was clearing and I was starting to feel better.

The man gave up his futile attempts and turned surprised to see me – great, this guy – Morris.

He immediately turned to face the door once more and hammered it more frantically "Let me out!" he yelled.

I sighed and sat down and continued to look on, "I'm not going to hurt you!" I finally told him, his incessant banging wasn't exactly doing wonders for my headache.

"Aiden," came a voice from over a speaker – I think it was Troy. I looked toward each window not knowing which one he was looking through, "Morris," it spoke again.

"You let me out of here, you let me out of here now!" Morris screamed, he turned to face me- he looked terrified.

"You have both tested positive for the conduit gene," the speaker again.

"No!" Morris yelled "I'm not one of them!"

What?! Was Morris really a conduit too?

"Please, don't be alarmed," came the voice once more "please comply with the experiment and everything will run along a lot smoother."

Experiment? Just what the hell was all this?

"Aiden, Morris - your instructions are simple." The speaker said "simply approach each other, calmly, and shake hands."

What?! Shake hands – wait, so Troy must have been aware of what I could do – a simple touch of another conduit and I'd absorb their power, but it was more than that – I caused their power to amplify beyond control – the gravity conduit had been swallowed up, Delsin burst into flames and Celia became nothing but shreds of paper, it was my doing – it must have been my doing … A lump born of guilt lodged in my throat, I didn't know if Morris was a conduit or not but I had no intention on inflicting this fate on him.

Morris spat and glared at me, "I don't care about your freak powers!" Morris spat pointing a shaking hand in my direction "come anywhere near me - I'll kill you!"

I backed away, I wasn't a threat to Morris, I wouldn't hurt him.

After a while Morris had retreated to the furthest corner away from me and he hadn't taken his eyes off me once. Was he a conduit? He'd displayed no abilities and his hatred towards conduits said otherwise. Still perhaps his powers hadn't manifested yet? Maybe he possessed the gene so the potential for powers but hadn't unlocked them yet – oh wait - maybe, if I touch him – I'd unlock them? Is that how it worked? shit wait - the gravity conduit, had I awoken his power?

 _"What the hell did you do to me!?" his arms flailing as he was sucked in further as if he was submerging in quick sand, "what the hell did you do?"_

I unlock his power? He claimed he wasn't a bio-terrorist but at the time I just assumed that was a sensible thing to shout out in the face of several armed DUP - but maybe he really didn't know and it was me. Urgh - I don't understand my power at all, my head pounds again.

"We've got all the time in the world," the voice over the speaker "but neither of you will leave the room until you comply."

I stood but didn't advance, Morris flinched and gripped the walls behind him.

"Troy?!" I yelled "you don't understand, if I touch him – it will…" I swallowed hard it hurt to admit "it will kill him."

"Aiden, explain yourself."

I took a long drawn out sigh "my power…" I tried to find the words to explain something I didn't understand "when I touch another conduit I take their power - but that's not all."

"Demonstrate your power and we can talk." Troy spoke over the speaker "no harm will come to Morris, I just need to see your power in action."

I fell silent, I looked toward Morris who looked very afraid, "no," I shook my head and left for the other corner as far away from him as the constraints of the room would allow.

Sometime passed in silence but Morris must have found his courage again and he began to laugh "I knew you were one of those freaks from the moment I set eyes on you."

I remained silent

"I should have shot you in the head," he said.

I smirked, "you're a bio-terrorist too, remember?"

He grimaced, "I'm not one of you freaks!"

"Why do you hate us so much?" I sighed.

His eyes narrowed "I have my reasons."

There was vague laugh delivered over the speaker, had Troy been observing this whole time? "it was more than 7 years ago now wasn't it?" Troy said.

"How do you know about that?!" Morris yelled "you go to hell!"

"Your daughter would be 14 or 15 now wouldn't she?" Troy said.

"Shut up! Shut up!" Morris screamed up at the windows as he marched into the middle of the room.

"Aiden, are you familiar with Empire city?"

"Let me the fuck outta here!" Morris had completely lost any composure.

"Morris' daughter was killed in an explosion several years ago in Empire city brought about by a conduit."

I had no idea about the events that Troy talked about but I could see how worked up Morris had become.

"What a cruel twist of fate that you yourself turned out to be a conduit," Troy said.

"I'm not! I'm not a fucking bio-terrorist!" Morris spat, face flushed with anger and the veins in his neck protruded, he was enraged.

"Prove it," Troy said "simply walk up to Aiden and touch him and if nothing happens you're free to go, you have my word."

My eyes widened.

Morris looked to me, still panting with rage.

"Don't," I said firmly.

He screamed loudly, "let me out of here you bastard!" he ran back to the door and started swinging his fists into it "I have rights! I have rights!"

He finally calmed down and retreated to where he had sat originally, deflated - defeated.

How long would this go on? How long had we already been in here?

The lights flickered before dimming completely and the whole building shook.

"What was that?" I said as I shot to my feet, "Morris?"

The room shook again and an emergency generator must have kicked in as the lights dimmed but were steady.

"Something's wrong, we gotta get outta here!" I said.

Morris glared at me but luckily set his animosity aside in favour of escape.

"Open the doors," I could tell he begrudged every word he spat at me.

I nodded, I threw my hands forward and tried my best to prize them apart pulling each outwards with gravity, they didn't budge. The room shook again – was this Troy's doing?

"Move back," I instructed Morris.

I bombarded the doors with concrete, what the hell were these doors made from?! I barely dented them. I was running low on energy I hadn't drained a single energy source in quite some time.

Paper –was it really worth a try?

I outstretched my fingers unsure what to expect of paper – a large roll of thin paper shot out from my index finger and I guided it through a small crack I'd managed to make within the door – this was my way out unfortunately for Morris I'd have to leave him behind for now.

I felt my body melt down and traverse the gap and on the other side I became whole again.

Outside, the corridor was in ruins, it reminded me very much of how Curdan Cay had looked when I escaped there. I looked back at the door – how the hell was I gonna get this thing open?

"Miles!" came a familiar voice carried from the end of the corridor.

Holy shit - I couldn't believe my eyes.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Delsin sped towards me, propelled in a gust of wind to quicken his pace.

"Any conduits in there?" he asked casually.

I froze but managed a nod before I had time to think.

Delsin grinned and threw his palm onto a keypad beside the door and pumped a large charge of electricity into it. Then he used wind again to try and thrust open the doors, it wasn't as effective as he'd hoped the doors budged but not nearly enough to allow someone to pass through.

"Little help?" he strained at the limit of his power.

I complied and summoned gravity again and with the force of both of our powers eventually the door buckled. I couldn't believe the width of the door once we managed to crack it open no wonder it was a difficult task.

Delsin didn't hesitate he headed inside.

"Get away from me you freak!" Morris scrambled backwards.

Delsin lunged at the man and gripped his face in his hand but quickly pulled away when nothing happened. He glanced at his hand for a moment, he seemed puzzled - and then he looked at me and smirked - I could tell he'd come up with something - without warning he grabbed me and thrust me into Morris forcing my hand onto his arm. it was too quick and unexpected to prevent - physical contact was made.

My grip was locked onto Morris as if we were magnets and flashes of his consciousness invaded my own, I saw his daughter – I felt his happiness.. then ... and then the agony of losing her, I felt so unbelievably empty.. then ... then nothing – the invasion ended before it had really started and my own consciousness pushed it to the back of my mind and I felt a new surge of power coursing through me.

I could finally let go of Morris, who was on the floor holding his head and wailing - he was about to lose control - I was dazed and fell backward. Delsin again rushed toward him and gripped him but by the throat this time, I couldn't even shout out, I was in no state to intervene, but was he absorbing Morris' power too? – how? Moments ago it hadn't worked when he touched Morris - nothing had happened.

Morris managed to throw Delsin from him, but I think Delsin already had what he needed. I looked toward Morris in fear that his powers would manifest and he would be sent out of control and consumed by his powers like all of the others but he just lay there – I think he was unconscious now.

"So what do you think we got?" Delsin smirked referring to our new power, completely unfazed.

"What the hell just happened?!" I asked, stunned.

The building shook again, almost throwing us off our feet.

"I'll explain later," Delsin said "urgh, told Fetch not to go to town on this place until we were all out!"

Fetch? Wait – I swear I've heard that name somewhere before.

"Last one out the building is a rotten bio-terrorist!" Delsin shot away in a neon stream leaving me with Morris' to contend with, I had every reason to leave him behind - dammit - I sighed.

I went back to him, I hoped there was no harm in physical contact now. Luckily there wasn't, I attempted to pull him over my shoulder with a lot of aid from my gravity powers. It was a hell of a struggle but I got us out.

Once outside unable to hold Morris' weight anymore my legs buckled and I dropped him to the floor, I panted with exhaustion as I watched the building come down - I'd got us out just in time.

A gust of wind almost knocked me over and Delsin manifested from it. We watched as the Curdan Cay like construction came down in a display of firey neon.

"That will never get old!" Delsin laughed.

"Mind telling me what the hell is going on?!"

"I think you mean 'thank you for saving my ass again, Delsin,'" he sighed "what you have Stockholm syndrome or something? Don't like your freedom?"

I shook my head, "you promised me an explanation."

My explanation was disturbed by Morris' awakening, he lifted his torso but was too weak to stand "what the hell did you freaks do to me?"

"And you're welcome too," Delsin shook his head.

I fell to the floor, hands outstretched – and drained the gravity from the raw earth, it didn't seem to work too well through any man-made material, I felt so much better now. It hadn't gone unnoticed by Delsin.

"Ah ha," he grinned "so that's how you-" his speech was cut off by a small explosion from the ruined building, dying flames sprouted up between the piles of rubble - I hope all the conduits had made it out, "well no point in hanging around here," Delsin said, he had already began to wander away.

"I'll fucking kill you, I'll kill all of you," Morris coughed as he stood, it was sudden and he charged toward and went to swing for Delsin.

Delsin didn't need to lift a finger, the punch passed straight through his neon form and burned Morris' knuckles. Delsin didn't say a word when he retained his solid form, he just glared at the man who upon failing to hit Delsin turned to me, I wasn't quick enough and I stumbled backward as he punched me hard in the gut. Delsin immediately came to my aid, he quickly coated the man in a layer of concrete.

"Stop…" I was winded by the blow I struggled to get the words out, "don't hurt him..." several further inches of concrete crept up Morris' legs, "please."

Delsin hesitated, I could see that he was struggling with some inner turmoil before he eventually obeyed and lowered his hand. Morris didn't dare say another word – locked to the ground in concrete shackles that reached up to his knees. Delsin paid him no more mind, he turned to me and looked concerned, "can you stand?" he asked.

I answered with an exhausted stumble.

"Woah, woah," he lifted my arm over his shoulder "I got ya, I got ya."

He summoned a mini tornado and carried us away under a gust of wind – it was fast, what an amazing power! not as smooth as gravity but I wouldn't have minded this in my arsenal.

He dropped me down in a carpark beside a parked car, I'd already recovered.

"Fetch!" he yelled "Fetch!" louder "Abigaaaaail!" he exaggerated his yell for that last name as if it amused him "ah, she's probably gone ahead, let's go,"

"Where are we going?" I asked.

Delsin appeared to be weighing up the options between cars left abandoned in the car park - was he even listening?

I happened to spot one, doors open - keys in the ignition, engine still running - the owner must have been in a hurry to get to all the commotion - I didn't want to think about their fate now, "how about this car?" I asked.

Delsin grinned and approached the driving side, "Still have things I need to do in Seattle sooo …" he finally replied "I mean you can stay here if you really want?"

I shook my head and opened the passenger side door.

Delsin got in and quickly familiarised himself with the interior, "You know I never did get round to getting my license," he reversed abruptly before speeding away, "heh, Reggie was always telling –" He ceased his speech suddenly and quickly concealed his solemn expression with a smirk.

Reggie? I didn't question anything – it was clearly a painful subject. I quickly pulled my seat belt closed.

At first neither of us spoke, Delsin strummed the driving wheel with his fingers and I got the impression he wanted me to speak up but when I didn't he turned on the radio.

\- the bioterrorist known as Delsin Rowe is still at large and considered extremely dangerous -

Delsin changed the chanel

\- regarding the bioterrorist threat, the president had this to say -

Delsin changed the channel

\- the DUP are still regarded as the primary task force to -

Urgh Enough - I turned the radio off, "what happened back then?" I asked "in Eugene's basement, I'm sorry – I didn't mean –" of course I was referring to when I somehow sent Delsin's powers into overdrive – I thought I'd killed him.

"Sorry, what for?" Delsin replied "seriously? I should thank you,"

"Thank me?!"

"I just don't get why you didn't tell me about your true power to begin with,"

Because I didn't know – should I tell him? Can I trust him? "I don't fully understand my power yet," I didn't want to change the subject, "back in the basement - what happened?"

I saw Delsin's eyes widen but they remained firmly on the road, "well I mean, I completely lost control back there … but when I recovered I could do even more than before."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"I guess … I levelled up?" Delsin grinned "You have more than one power I'm guessing," Delsin paused "you're like me, right?"

I nodded.

"But not only that," he continued "I think you can sort of amplify power or unlock it, am I right? Before I couldn't use more than one power at a time, as you can imagine that's pretty inconvenient – but now I can do whatever –whenever so long as I can drain from somewhere … And now when I absorb powers," Delsin appeared excited but quickly dropped this expression "actually - never mind – anyway I had Eugene look into it, we're going to see him now he can fill in the details, I've heard of a conduit before that had something similar to you –like buffing powers – I take it you've heard of 'the beast'?"

I shook my head.

"Have you lived your entire life under a rock?" He asked with an incredulous grin.

I didn't answer.

"I guess the Akomish actually do sort of live like that," he said.

I was taken aback - I looked at him – his expression was difficult to read it was almost as if his words were testing me - he knew I was Akomish? How could he possibly know?

"For what it's worth," he said "thank you for not talking back in Curdan Cay, you know - to Augustine. I heard that you went through hell and you had my back …so it's appreciated."

"Delsin," I sighed – screw it I thought, us both being Akomish had to stand for something, it did back in Curdun Cay when I refused to speak up after all and went through apparent hell - dammit I still remembered nothing, "I've lost my memory."

"Uhh," Delsin eyed me, it was the first time he'd took his eyes off the road, it was only for a second.

"I don't remember anything," I continued "before waking up in Curdun Cay the day you broke everybody out,"

"Man…" Delsin sighed, "that's pretty rough."

I didn't reply.

"Maybe we can help eachother," Delsin suggested.

"How?" I asked.

"I want to keep conduits safe, in order to do that I need power,"

"Don't you have enough power?"

Delsin shrugged "meh - can't have enough power," he smirked "and with you on side, we can power everyone up, unlock the others – we'd be unstoppable."

"I'm not interested in fighting."

"Not like you can ignore it, dude," Delsin replied "so are you really OK with the DUPs running around caging us up like animals? – killing us? Torturing us? – taking our memories?"

"How about the conduits you killed at Curdan Cay?" the words fell out of my mouth without thought – why the hell did I bring that up?

Delsin slammed the break suddenlt and we came to an abrupt halt. He looked at me menacingly for a split moment before relaxing his expression into what looked like a very deep seated guilt "have you ever…" he swung his pupils away, he was difficult to read - he looked off into the distance as if scouring the road for his words he composed himself and his eyes bore deep into mine, "have you ever just..." he sighed "snapped?"

I thought about it, and remembered - yeah I guess I had – I threw a DUP tank into a skyscraper without thought of any innocent people possibly caught in the array, it was so easy, so careless - I stayed quiet.

Delsin sighed and looked into his palms that had began irradiating small wisps of smoke which he toyed with between his fingers, "I always tried to do the right thing, ya know?" he paused thoughtfully, he clasped his hands - smoke extinguished, "my intention was to help. Always. My intention was to save them."

This conversation had certainly taken a dark and serious turn, I simply listened.

"Some people wont be helped, some people are ungrateful," the brief burst of anger quickly dissolved into what looked to be deep sadness, "no matter what you sacrifice," he muttered, his expression lightened and he gave a sad smile he looked at me with less intensity than the last glance, hidden deep within his eyes was pain. Was this really all about those two conduits?

Perhaps it was my imagination but it almost felt like he wanted to apologise - maybe for the conduits he's killed or maybe for worse atrocities he'd committed - I didn't know his background but he seemed very ... troubled.

Delsin continued "but back there just then I would have killed that conduit," he was referring to Morris "but you stopped me,"

Well he certainly seemed remorseful, and he was right – he did stop.

"I guess what I'm really saying here," Delsin shook himself into his more natural tone – the intensity seemed to just melt away as if it hadn't really ever been there, "with you around to keep me in check – I wont go messing any of this up … And I'll help you get your memories back," he smiled and pushed his fist forward "deal?"

we fist bumped and I returned a smile, "deal."


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

"Wakey wakey!" Delsin shook my arm.

I opened my eyes, I must have dozed off. I stretched out as much as I could from the passenger seat and left the vehicle. Smouldering skeletal remains of buildings, sirens, alarms and the stench of death – yeah we were definitely back in the heart of Seattle.

"What time is it?" I asked.

"Uhh like 2 in the morning?" Delsin walked ahead going at a pretty fast pace.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"You'll see," Delsin grinned "Wait -" He paused for a moment and held of his hand, "you hear that?"

We both stopped, I listened intently – I did hear something – chanting I think, I couldn't make out all of the words but from what I could hear it didn't sound too favourable towards conduits.

Delsin shook his head, laughed and sped off in a smoke cloud.

"Wait up!" I called and without even thinking - I was whisked forward and reappeared in a clumsy landing just ahead of Delsin, followed by a very loud bang finale.

Delsin clasped his head, "Ah my ears are ringing!" he winced and thrust one of his ears with his index finger "Dude! you gotta give me some warning next time ahhh" he shook his head "what the hell was that?"

I looked at my hands, I could… how to describe it? I could feel the sound in the air all around me definitely not enough to drain from but – I manipulated it slightly relaxing the waves and I created a low tone that slightly shook the ground beneath us. I looked toward Delsin, his expression was awe and excitement and I immediately ceased my power.

"Have you been holding out on me?" he smirked "is that some sort of sound power?"

"It must have been Morris," I reasoned Delsin drew a blank face, he had no idea who I was talking about "the conduit back in Curdun Cay 2 …. I didn't have this before – it's new, it has to be him."

"Seriously? Then that means ... I have this too?" Delsin raised his hand and closed his eyes – there was a huge bang right above us "hell yeah!" he grinned "this is perfect! Damn protesters keeping me awake with their loud hate speak, let's go give them a taste of their own medicine!" he disintegrated into smoke once more.

"Delsin!"

I used gravity – I had this one under more control. Delsin was stood on the opposite side of the road. The protestors were huddled together, not chanting now - maybe the loud bangs had disturbed them – they definitely hadn't noticed Delsin yet. I had, just in time to see him raise his hand.

I could feel the sound waves beginning to excite a little ahead and I rushed to him raised my hand and quickly countered them. He stopped once he realised I was restraining his power.

"What the hell man?" he frowned and lowered his hand.

"You can't hurt these people!" I said "they're innocent, they're scared … look at what we can do, they're right to be scared."

Delsin shrugged and raised his hand again.

I coated his hand in concrete in an instant. He threw his dark pupils my way and glared at me as if I was a mere annoyance. He sighed and as I'd thought - the concrete was nothing to him, he absorbed it. He lowered his hand. I studied his expression and I could see the same conflict I'd seen earlier with Morris.

"Fine," he sighed "fine, we'll do it your way."

I nodded, I hadn't really thought of what 'my way' would be. Oh well here goes nothing, I approached the angry mob – hopefully I was unknown to them.

"You guys need to leave, it's not safe!" I yelled.

I was met by faces of animosity and uncooperative silence.

"You got somewhere to go?" I asked "it's really not safe – the DUP see you and they'll assume you're all con- bio-terrorists,"

"Fuck the DUP!" a voice came from the back.

The crowd seemed in consensus, "we're not going anywhere near that death trap of a sanctuary and a bioterrorist blew up my home – where do you expect me to go?"

Uh, they had a point I rubbed my temples in annoyance silently pleading them to leave – I could feel Delsin's impatience from here.

"Miles," Delsin called concealed within the shadows across the street.

I appreciated his discretion, I looked to the mob "be right back."

I jogged over to him. Delsin had certainly perked up "man I could hear every word – this sound power is pretty damn awesome – you gotta try the volume feature,"

"Delsin, these people have nowhere to go."

"These people are not our responsibility and you see that sign over there," he pointed.

I looked toward the crowd one of them was idly holding up a long pole skewing a ball wearing a red beanie hat.

"Wait - is that meant to be me?" Delsin shook his head "is that meant to be my head on a spike? Pffft and you want me to help these people?"

"We just need to get them somewhere safe," I paused "that's all I'm asking."

Delsin looked to the ground, he looked like he may comply, then he looked up and over my shoulder "err Miles…."

I turned.

"That's Rowe!" one of them yelled "that's Delsin Rowe!"

Delsin hands flared up in flames.

I gripped him by the shoulders "woah woah waoh!" I yelled in his face "you are not hurting these people!"

Shit! A bullet right in my back – my body reacted with a concrete exoskeleton.

"He's a bioterrorist too!" another yell and several more bullets to the back.

Delsin stepped forward he caught the bullets mid projection using a thick slab of concrete to shelter us.

The firing stopped, Delsin rotated the slab so that the bullets were pointing towards the protestors, all he needed to do was crumble the concrete and send the bullets flying using any array of power he had in his arsenal.

"Delsin stop!" I yelled "Run!" I called to the mob "get out of here!"

The mob did as instructed, Deslin held the wall of bullets for several seconds before letting the slab fall and break onto the road.

I gave a deep sigh of relief.

Delsin flexed his fingers and turned "let's get out of here."

I followed him, we didn't talk for a while – I didn't know what to say but then I spoke up, "thanks."

"What for?"

"Not hurting anyone,"

"I'm not the monster Augustine painted me out to be," he sighed "I wasn't going to do anything to those guys."

I wasn't sure I believed him.

"I just wanted to - ya know - scare them off," he said "problem solved right? – anyway – taa daa!"

"The space needle?" I replied.

"Yep," Delsin grinned.

I looked up – it was so tall I almost lost my balance.

"Race you to the top" he was already gone.

Hah, gravity it is - I propelled through the air as if falling upwards and stopped dead at the observation deck exterior – narrowly beating Delsin, who'd opted for neon.

"Hey no fair!" he yelled "damn gravity!"

The original windows had been replaced by extremely thick glass, Deslin's work no doubt. I watched as he absorbed the glass through his finger tips leaving a hole big enough for us to climb inside.

"After you," he motioned with his hand.

I nodded and carefully navigated my was through and landed on the floor inside.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

The interior was not what I was expecting at all, looked like Delsin had done a lot of renovating.

"I guess you can take that couch over there," he pointed with a long yawn.

We didn't exchange any other words, I made my way to the large couch and lay down and closed my eyes.

My sleep was pleasant for once, quiet - I could feel my consciousness slowly creeping in several hours later, I could see the light beyond my eyelids informing me that it was morning, that was until it was all blotted out by a sudden darkness. I snapped my eyes open and threw my hand out, I took aim but relaxed my power once I took note of the stranger stood over me.

"Woah!" the stranger backed off "sorry I didn't mean to wake you."

He wasn't a threat I lowered my hand and rubbed the back of my stiff neck - maybe I hadn't slept as well as I'd thought, "who are you?" I asked "where's Delsin?"

"It's me," he replied "Eugene."

"Eugene," this was the guy behind those massive and mighty video angels and demons – I guess looks can be deceiving "it's good to finally put a name to the face."

"Likewise –" he stuttered "well, I mean I've only ever seen you through the cameras."

I raised my brow as I took in Eugene's nervousness, I hadn't expected this persona at all.

"Oh hang on a second!" Eugene rushed off to the other side of the room.

I groggily got to my feet and trundled off to join him. He'd taken a position at a large computer console – several large screens displaying various camera footage, - other monitors displayed pages that looked like confidential DUP information.

Eugene raised his fingers almost touching the screen and his video power pixels poured into it. I watch in silence as he typed at an invisible keyboard and through the camera I could see he had beckoned a swarm of video angels and demons. I said nothing initially I didn't want to distract him but as I took a closer look at the monitor I could see Delsin and he was a one man army against hordes and hordes of DUP. He dispatched them fairly easily from the looks of things.

"Okay, Delsin I'm pulling out" Eugene announced – perhaps one of his video angels conveyed the message – I gotta admit Eugene's power was pretty impressive. I watched as the largest angel of them all swooped down and lifted a huge crate and began to flee the scene.

"What you got there?" I pointed toward the flickering image of his angel on the monitor.

Eugene didn't answer at first, he was really focused – it wasn't until his angel was in the clear that he actually lifted his eyes from the screen to acknowledge me - even if it was for just a few seconds.

"Some supplies," he answered "food, clothes, medical stuff."

"And you're just taking it?" I asked "aren't the supplies for everyone?"

Eugene didn't remove his eyes from the screen, "we can give back what we don't need... I guess," he shrugged "I mean Delsin says we have to look after our own, so …"

"I don't think we should be taking it," I replied firmly "you gotta take it back."

Eugene grimaced "I can't do that," he finally replied, "Delsin would be really mad."

"What?" I shook my head "are you scared of him?"

"No... no" Eugene replied "of course not. We need to eat too and I can send my angels back with the crate once we've got what we need."

I didn't press further, I nodded – it was better than nothing - plus, come to think of it I was feeling pretty hungry.

His angel must have been close, Eugene stood and wandered toward the thick glass to welcome it. Delsin was not too far behind – Delsin hovered spraying concrete shards from his limbs – he lifted his hand and sucked the glass away absorbing it and creating an entrance. The angel set the huge crate down inside and disintegrated away into pixels. The crate was huge.

"Woah I think we hit the jackpot!" Delsin grinned.

"Let's just grab what we need and take it back," I announced.

"Wait, what? Are you kidding me?" Delsin frowned "it's been days since the last drop – we gotta stock up man, who knows when they'll drop another of these bad boys?"

"What about all of the … 'normals'" for lack of a better word – I continued "they're relying on these supplies!"

"The normals can look after themselves! Let me take care of the conduits."

"Us three?" I looked about the room to exaggerate my point.

Delsin gritted his teeth and his eyes filled with malice, "would you quit with this justice bullshit!?" his hands flared up with electricity and then smoke – his anger always seemed to trigger a slight loss of control in his power. I looked to Eugene and could see that he was intimidated, but Delsin didn't scare me.

"You're really starting to piss me off!" Delsin snapped again, but choked a little on what he said next "you sound like my brother!"

I shrugged, "well then maybe you should have listened to your brother more often … " I was going to continue but I'd clearly a deeper nerve than I'd intended to.

Delsin approached me and raised his hand summoning up claws of glass, Eugene retreated but I stood my ground – my eyes bore into his. He dropped his hand and gave a spiteful smirk "you know," he began retracting his glassy talons "the reason you probably sound so much like my brother is because you spent so much time down at the station."

"What are you talking about?" I genuinely had no idea.

"Reggie was a cop," Delsin announced as if that would shed some light on the point that he was eluding to – I was still drawing a blank, Delsin turned to Eugene "what? You didn't show him?"

Eugene shook his head he attempted to answer but only managed to stammer on the spot.

Enough! "show me what?!" I asked.

"Eugene did some digging and it looks like you and me aren't so different after all," Delsin folded his arms "so you can quit with this superhero high and mighty bullshit!"

I looked toward Eugene for answers.

"Screw this," Delsin spat "I'm gonna go cool off," he headed for the window and took off – neither I nor Eugene did anything to stop him.

"What's he talking about, Eugene?" I asked.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

I took a seat beside Eugene at his computer station. He passed me various printouts, I glanced over walls of texts but stopped at a picture. I think it was me, it was a mug shot. He passed me what looked like a list. I skimmed over it 'VANDALISM… PETTY THEFT… some of the crimes were listed several times ….shit was getting worse … GRAND THEFT AUTO…

ATTEMPTED MURDER "what the fuck!?" I dropped the paper and looked up at Eugene who was taking in my shock.

"These records were buried deep in the DUP database, I had to do a lot of digging to find them," Eugene announced.

I rubbed my temples, hands a little shaken, was this really who I was?

"I think they planned to release these records," Eugene said "you know to add to the anti-conduit propaganda."

"Eugene I …" I paused and took a deep breath I couldn't believe what I was reading "I don't remember any of this."

Eugene struggled to find a reply or rather one that would comfort me but then he tried "I got rid of it all – there are only these physical copies now. I've pretty much dismantled the entire network – well not before adding in a few adjustments."

I didn't reply, I wanted him to elaborate.

He took the hint, "I reprogrammed the scanners."

"You … what?" my words fell out of my mouth in disbelief.

"They have no way of identifying new conduits now and Delsin says he's found a way to activate potential conduits."

"When you say you reprogrammed?" I tried to keep my tone calm "what exactly did you do?" I knew the answer.

"I switched the responses." Eugene's answer was casual as if he was blissfully unaware of the countless innocent casualties his little hack had caused.

"Do you have any idea what you've done?" my teeth clenched.

Eugene's eyes widened – the same fear he displayed for Delsin – I didn't want that. I relaxed as best as I could manage "I saw people at the bunker trying to enter – they were all identified as conduits," he paused "the DUP gunned them all down," my eyes locked with his, "countless. Innocent. people."

Eugene looked to his feet, he did appear to be showing some remorse but I didn't understand him - he seemed like a reasonable, intelligent guy with incredible power that I'm sure could be put to better use – why would he use it to hurt these people?

He croaked as he tried to find words "the DUP killed them. I've never killed anybody."

I glared at him, "but you surely knew this would happen."

"Delsin has a plan," he gasped "the DUP are the bad guys here, they didn't have to open fire, they're the real terrorists and now everyone is starting to see them for who they really are." These words didn't sound like Eugene's thoughts and I didn't get the slightest ounce of conviction from them.

"Hey asshole, back off!"

I darted out the way, narrowly avoiding a neon bolt that left my chair smouldering where my head was rested only seconds ago. I looked up to see a girl surrounded in pink neon light with a furious face.

"Fetch!" Eugene scrambled to his feet "Fetch! It's ok he's with us!"

I stood and held my hands out to demonstrate my surrender. Fetch allowed her power to drain away and cocked her head in my direction.

"I'm Aiden Miles," I announced "Delsin brought me back here after…"

"I know, I was there," she announced flippantly "I took off though – I don't like travelling you know, I get car sickness."

I raised my brow – so how in the hell would travelling by car make someone who could bolt around at ridiculous speeds, travel sick? Urgh whatever, then I remembered something "hey," I started "it was you who stole the recording!"

"Oh yeah?" she crossed her arms "and?"

I frowned "and … why?"

She shrugged, "Delsin asked me to."

What was with these guys? If Delsin asked them to jump off a bridge - err bad example but why in the hell were they so obedient to his destructive cause? I wanted no part of it.

"Ah awesome!" Fetch knocked along the crate "looks like our delivery arrived, where's Delsin – we need to crack this thing open."

"We should wait for Delsin." Eugene announced.

Fetch lifted her finger and concentrated her power into a thin neon lazer – she pointed it at the crate.

"or not …" Eugene rolled his eyes and adjusted his glasses.

I just stood by waiting for Fetch to reveal the contents...

but something was wrong –

there was a loud beep and then ….

Boom!

Next thing I knew, I'd been launched through one of the blown out glass windows and was hurtling toward the ground, I quickly corrected my position and cushioned my fall with gravity – landing safely on the floor below just in time to see the space needle come crashing down like a stack of dominoes. I watched anxiously – I saw no neon and no video.

A dust cloud was thrown up all around and I coughed "Eugene!" I yelled scrambling through the debris "Fetch!"

Shit – there was no sight or sound of them but as I panned the area with my eyes I could see that the explosion had attracted the attention of the DUP.

I had to find them.

I quickly set about moving huge boulders of concrete with my powers – where could they be!?

The DUP was getting closer...

I heard a cough - I saw a hand. I frantically threw debris backward – the DUPs were closing in.

Shit! It was Eugene and he was trapped under a large shard of glass – it had impaled his arm and he was covered in blood, he looked bad.

I didn't have glass powers, I had to be very careful to remove it – I attempted and Eugene cried out. Shit – where the fuck was Delsin?

I could do this! I could do this!

I shook my hands and fingers and clenched them, gripping the glass in my gravity – careful not to shatter it and I began to pull…. slowly, cautiously.

The DUPs opened fire and it rained glass, showering us both in shards.

Dammit, I turned and thrust the frontlines backward with gravity – there were too many and I was being pelted with bullets now.

My powers were waining ... everything was becoming ... dark, the loud blasts were dimming out

– my powers were failing -

I couldn't keep this up for much longer. I had no choice, I fell down and gripped Eugene by the arm and I managed to rip him from the rubble but as always – the first contact with a new conduit brought about an overload in their powers.

I fell onto my back and closed my eyes. Flashes of Eugene's life invaded my mind – bullies, abuse, torture, Augustine, Curdun Cay, Hank, Fetch … a van, freedom… Delsin, Augustine … And then nothing – I think I passed out.

Then I came to.

The area was levelled – no more DUP, just the charred smouldering remains of the aftermath of it all and Eugene was laid out beside me, unconscious. As my vision cleared and I sat up, I became aware of Delsin's presence – he was pacing, holding his head – looked to be in some sort of panic – what the hell happened?

"Delsin," I coughed weakly "Delsin."

"Shit, Aiden" he gripped my hand and pulled me to my feet "what happened?"

"I could ask you the same man!"

I shook my head, my healing abilities were taking their sweet time to kick in, "Fetch?"

Delsin shook his head and paced some more, "I searched everywhere, Miles."

"Eugene?" I glanced to him.

"I got here just in time to see his power in overdrive," Delsin sighed "I had to…"

"What?"

Delsin considered his words, "calm him down."

I frowned, what did that mean? Then I remembered back to Morris – the same thing had happened. I activated Morris and Delsin swooped in and somehow paicified his power, stealing it in the process but subduing him all the same – I mean that was a good thing right?

"Dammit!" Delsin kicked through a large concrete boulder.

Fetch. I looked around, almost every boulder had been reduced to rubble – there was nowhere she could have been.

"The crate!" Delsin yelled out "it was that damn crate wasn't it?"

I nodded.

"They knew we'd go for it," Delsin gritted his teeth "they're gonna pay!"

"We need to get Eugene outta here," I sighed.

"We have another place down the street," Delsin replied "follow me."

Delsin had already hovered away carried in concrete, leaving me to deal with Eugene. I lifted him with gravity and placed his arm over my shoulder and carefully drifted us in Deslin's location. We passed into what looked like abandoned offices, the room we entered had more computers and monitors – just how many lairs did Eugene have? I set him down on a chair, he was unresponsive.

"Think he's ok?" I asked.

"Yeah, yeah … he just needs to sleep it off," Delsin replied "come on let's get out of here for a bit."

I wasn't sure we should be leaving Eugene like this but Delsin had already left.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

We sat atop a sky scraper, Eugene was still in one of the rooms below recovering. The sun was slipping below the horizon. We said nothing, I had no idea what Delsin was planning next – I doubted it would be peaceful. Now was not the time to talk about a moral crusade… and apparently I was not the sort of person who had the right to do so. I shook my head.

"Everything okay?" Delsin asked.

"Yeah," I nodded and got to my feet "yeah."

Delsin's attention left me – he summoned up a small rock of concrete and threw it out as if he was attempting to skim it along a lake that wasn't there – of course it just shot off into the scenery and fell off into the distance down into the city below. He repeated this several times.

"What next?" I finally said.

Delsin didn't reply he continued throwing his summoned concrete rocks.

"There's no real reason to be here," I sighed "why not go back to the Akomish? … You have any other family there? Maybe someone there will know who I am?"

Delsin halted, his head slumped but he didn't face me.

"Delsin?" I give up - was he even listening?

"The last conversation I had with the Akomish ... heh, 'you are Akomish no longer,' " Delsin sighed – he still remained faced away looking out into the city.

I frowned, "because ... you're a conduit?"

He summoned another rock and tossed it, this time shooting it mid trajectory with a bolt of neon, "everything I did was for them, for my people," his voice trailed off – I'm not sure he actually wanted me to hear.

On reflection I felt a pang of guilt, perhaps I'd been too hard on Delsin? He'd obviously been through a lot – I had no idea really. I'm sure he'd made many bad choices but apparently... so had I.

These empathetic thoughts brought on an unwelcome side-effect - I involuntarily recalled Delsin's memories, they came to me in a burst of intense emotions and images –

\- my arm only just clinging into it's socket as the load increased, lunged over clenching onto him with everything I had - I felt my grip /Delsin's grip/ loosen. I could see that in Reggie's eye's - that he had already given up. He became heavier and heavier as the concrete crept up his torso and encased him – he pleaded with me /with Delsin/ to let him go – not an option! ... The choice wasn't Delsin's – Reggie took the option away, that last exchange of glances seemed to last forever - he let go of my hand and everything slowed down, there was nothing I could do to save him - helplessly, I watched him plummet into the depth of the water below -

I clenched my eyelids shut.

"Woah Miles," Delsin gripped my shoulder and shook me lightly "what's wrong man? - you look as white as a ghost!"

I shook myself into reality but couldn't prevent a tear from escaping my eye – I quickly turned away and pressed my eyes into my sleeve. Delsin gazed on with an incredulous look across his face.

"I'm fine," I said "I'm fine," more than a little embarrassed.

"Dude, are you ... crying?" Delsin asked awkwardly, I think he tried to sound sympathetic - it didn't.

I pressed my hand over my face, what the fuck was this? These felt like my memories, like my feelings – it felt like Reggie was my brother and it felt like it was my loss, I paused – composed myself and spoke up "I'm sorry."

"OooooKaaay?" Delsin replied "heh heh really starting to freak me out now."

I let out a long sigh, I owed Delsin an explanation, "when you absorb powers, you can see ...parts of people's lives - right? ... their memories?" I said, I assumed he could - when we first made contact, I could feel him prying as much as I was, "when I got your powers, I saw Reggie -I saw what happened... his last moments."

Delsin said nothing - he gave a slow nod, his eyes slightly glazed but gave nothing away but his mouth drooped and his whole demeanor changed, he fought against expressing himself, he couldn't look me in the eye.

"I didn't know Reggie," I admitted "but he didn't deserve that and you didn't deserve it and … and, it fucking sucks... I'm sorry,"

Unexpectedly, Delsin lunged forward and wrapped an arm around me, he gave me a very brief hug, broke away and turned away from me.

"I guess you're the only person who can see from my point of view," he sighed.

We stood there in silence for a few moments longer before I spoke up again, "Delsin, what do you plan to do next?"

Delsin had composed himself and his persona had pretty much returned to his normal self - it was a little scary how he'd recovered so quickly, but I was glad - it probably wasn't a good idea to bring Reggie up from now on.

"I err…" would Delsin trust me? "Ok - I'm looking for a conduit – I need his power and then I'm gone … and then what's say we go activating conduits, rise up and take out the DUPs out once and for all!"

I didn't hide very well that I wasn't a fan of the idea.

Delsin frowned "we got no choice man, they're going after normals too – you wanna play the hero? Protect the people?"

I sighed.

"Who's the conduit you're looking for?" I asked, almost forgetting he'd mentioned that.

"That, my friend, is a secret - but if you stick around long enough…"

"And you want me to do what exactly?" I asked.

"Activate conduits, I mean we get their powers too – it's win win," Delsin said "plus I'll be there to, ya know, stabilise their powers… if needed."

"I wonder how my power works?" I muttered.

"Beats me," Delsin shrugged "I didn't manage to get the whole activation amplification thing – come to think of it, I still can't get gravity to work either – I think it's broken."

So Delsin couldn't absorb my powers?

"And you didn't get anything from me, right?" he asked.

And I couldn't absorb Delsin's powers, I shook my head.

"Still can't complain – I am new and improved thanks to your little boost at least," he smirked.

"OK," I replied.

Delsin frowned "okay what?"

"I'll help you - but under one condition,"

Delsin grinned, I think he already knew what my condition was.

"We don't hurt innocent people."

"Urgh," Delsin sighed "it's self defence, man - hey some of those signs have very pointy edges!"

I sighed.

"Alright, alright - I guess I can live with that," he agreed "anything else?"

"We lay low," I said "don't use powers unnecessarily."

"Dude we have all this power – and you wanna what? take the bus?!"

I frowned.

"Ok, OK!" he said "that it?"

"For now," I grinned.

"OK, OK ...That's all awesome and all but," Delsin looked around "I just have one question -without powers ... how do we get off the roof?"

...

Shit! no exits... Looked like that second condition was going to be harder to commit to then I thought.


End file.
